Mass Matters

• databot with 2 temperature
  sensor

• IOS/Android Smart Device

• Metal subjects of the same
  material but different weights

• Two small glasses

• A pot with water

Overview

Background

What You Will Need/Prep

• Test your databot™ connection.

• You will be prompted to select
  and connect to databot™ each
  time you launch an experiment.

• If there are two or more
  databot™'s listed, the one
  closest to your device will be
  highlighted.

• Study the background
  information and terms and
  prepare to explore!

Mass Matters

Have you ever wondered why some materials heat
up faster than others? In this activity, you will
investigate how different factors, such as the
weight and composition of materials, affect their
ability to transfer heat.

• Install Vizeey™ on your
  Smart device.

• Scan the QR code to load
  the experiment.

Grades: Middle School

Time: 45 Minutes

Subject: Physical Science

Topics: Temperature, Temperature
Changes

When we heat a material, it absorbs energy, causing
its temperature to rise. The amount of heat a
material can absorb before its temperature
increases depends on its heat capacity. Heat
capacity is the ability of a material to store heat
energy.

For example, heavier objects of the same material
can transfer more heat because they store more
energy. On the other hand, materials like metal and
plastic have different heat capacities due to their
structure. Metal heats up and cools down faster
than plastic because it conducts heat better.

By comparing the way different materials and
weights affect the temperature of water, you can
learn more about how materials interact with heat
in everyday life.

Through hands-on experiments, you’ll explore the
concept of heat capacity by observing temperature
changes in water when heated materials are
introduced. This lesson will help you develop skills
in data collection, graphing, and scientific analysis
while deepening your understanding of thermal
properties of materials.

Temp Probe

Important Terms

Learning Objectives

In this investigation you will master the following knowledge and skills:

• Learn how different materials absorb and transfer heat.

• Explore how the weight of an object influences its ability to transfer heat to another
  material.

• Analyze the differences in heat transfer between materials like metal and plastic.

• Understand why some materials heat up and cool down faster than others.

• Measure and record temperature changes accurately.

• Interpret data to draw conclusions about heat transfer and material properties.

Heat Capacity: The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a material
by one degree Celsius. It indicates how well a material stores heat energy.

Thermal Conductivity: The ability of a material to conduct heat. Materials with high thermal
conductivity, like metals, transfer heat quickly.

Specific Heat: The amount of heat per unit mass required to raise the temperature by one
degree Celsius. It is a property unique to each material.

Temperature: A measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a material. Higher
temperatures indicate faster particle motion.

Heat Transfer: The movement of heat energy from one material to another, typically from a
warmer object to a cooler one.

Energy: The capacity to do work or cause physical change, often observed in this
experiment as heat energy transferring between materials.

Interesting facts

This experiment models processes occurring in heating systems. Radiators, made of
metal, heat up and transfer heat to the air due to the low heat capacity of metal and the
high heat capacity of water.

The principle of heat capacity is widely used in construction. Materials with high heat
capacity, like concrete, help retain heat in buildings during the winter and keep them cool
during the summer.

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In order to work with the experiment you need to launch the Vizeey application and click on
+ in the upper right corner.

Then select “Add experiment from QR code” and scan the QR code prepared for this
experiment. Your experiment will appear in the list.

When you start the experiment you will be immediately
offered to connect to your databot. Make sure that databot
is enabled.

Don’t forget to check that the temperature probe 1 is
connected to the Temp 1 port and temperature probe 2 is
connected to the Temp 2 port.

During the experiment, you need to record the temperature values every 30 seconds.

Press the "Fix Temperature" button every 30 seconds to capture the next values for your
data table.

Once you have captured the values, write them down in the table to avoid losing any
information and prepare to capture the values at the next 30 second mark. Be fast and
accurate!

• Here you will see a graph of temperature 1
  change over time.

• The temperature value you can fix at
  the current moment by pressing the
  button.

• Current temperature 1

• Here you will see a graph of
  temperature 2 change over time.

• Current temperature 2.

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How does the weight of a material affect its ability to transfer heat?

Why do different materials heat up and cool down at different rates?

How can we measure the heat transferred from an object to water?

What role does the material’s structure play in its thermal properties?

How does the weight of a metal object influence the heat transferred to water?
Consider what data you might need to collect. Predict whether the heavier object will
transfer more heat and why.

Part 1: Initial Observations and Questions

Part 2: Hypothesis

Prepare Materials:

• Two metal subjects of the same material but
  different weights (e.g., two weights of 20 grams
  and 50 grams).

• A pot with water.

• Two small glasses filled with water (we use 75
  ml of water).

• databot with two temperature sensors.

Part 3: Experiment Procedure

In this experiment, you will investigate how two metal subjects of the same material but
with different masses transfer heat to water.

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• Place each weight into a separate glass of water, ensuring the weights do not touch the
  glass walls or the temperature sensors. (Use clips and sticks to suspend the weights if
  needed.)

• Place the metal weights into the pot with water.

• Heat the water until it boils and allow it to boil for 2 minutes.
  This ensures the metal weights reach the same temperature
  as the boiling water (100°C).

• While the water is heating, set up two small glasses and fill
  them with water.

• Connect the databot's temperature sensors and put them
  into each glass to measure temperature of water.

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• Start recording temperature changes with the databot.

• Press in Vizeey app. every 30 seconds and record it into the table

Water temperature before

starting the experiment ________

Water temperature before

starting the experiment ________

Glass 1.

Glass 2.

Plot a graph showing the relationship between temperature and time.

Temp Probe

Repeat the same experiment, but use two subjects of the same weight but different
materials (for example, metal and plastic).

Before starting the new experiment, change the water to ensure it is at the same
temperature.

Water temperature before

starting the experiment ________

Water temperature before

starting the experiment ________

Glass 1.

Glass 2.

Plot a graph showing the relationship between temperature and time.

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Part 6: Reflection

1. How well did the data support your initial hypothesis? Were there any unexpected
   results?

2. How could you modify this experiment to further explore heat transfer in different
materials or under different conditions?

3.What did you learn about the concept of specific heat capacity from this experiment?

Part 5: Concept Questions

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