| Objective | | | | 2. Fill another Styrofoam cooler box with equal amount |
| The aim of this experiment is to find out which method | | | | of ice, but this time mix water with it. |
| can be used for cooling a soda can beginning from | | | | 3. Use a digital thermometer and measure the |
| room temperature. | | | | beginning temperatures of each of the following |
| Introduction | | | | arrangements: |
| This is one of those science fair experiments that will | | | | - Your freezer |
| teach you about heat transfer by conduction, | | | | - Your refrigerator |
| convection, radiation and evaporation. You must do | | | | - The Styrofoam cooler filled with ice |
| some research to find out what these terms mean | | | | - The Styrofoam cooler filled with ice-water |
| before you go ahead with your experiment. | | | | - The soda inside each can at room-temperature (seal |
| Conduction: When heat is transferred from one | | | | the cans with plastic wrap immediately) |
| molecule to the other without the molecules being | | | | Now three cans each containing soda must be placed |
| subjected to mass movement. | | | | in the following arrangements: |
| Convection: The transfer of heat when mass | | | | - Your freezer |
| movement occurs. | | | | - Your refrigerator |
| Radiation: When heat is given out in the form of | | | | - The Styrofoam cooler filled with ice |
| waves, visible or invisible. | | | | - The Styrofoam cooler filled with ice-water |
| Evaporation: When liquid molecules turn to vapor, | | | | Science fair experiments require that accurate written |
| carrying off heat. | | | | records should be kept of each finding. So note the |
| There are several science fair experiments based on | | | | beginning time of each arrangement. |
| the above concepts. | | | | Check the temperature of the liquid (soda) in each can |
| If you want to cool a soda can, your best bet would | | | | in each arrangement every 5 minutes and record the |
| off course be the fridge, but you must know that | | | | time and the temperatures. |
| objects in the refrigerator and the freezer get cooled | | | | The experiment is over once the temperatures stops |
| mostly by convection (and partially by conduction). The | | | | changing. |
| air molecules inside your refrigerator are spread over | | | | Calculate the average temperatures of the three cans |
| a larger area as compared to liquid molecules. So | | | | in each arrangement for every time point. |
| what about objects placed in close contact with liquid? | | | | Make a joint bar graph of the elapsed time on the |
| Liquid is much denser than air and would interact with | | | | x-axis and the average temperature the soda on the |
| molecules of objects in contact with them to a greater | | | | y-axis. Graphs made during science fair experiments |
| extent. There is a clue hidden in my last sentence, | | | | speak volumes about your results, and about the |
| which will help you later. | | | | effort you have put in. Just one look at the graph can |
| Materials | | | | reveal much more information than numbers can |
| Cans of soda kept at room temperature (12 numbers), | | | | reveal. |
| digital thermometer, ice cubes, two styrofoam cooling | | | | Now amaze yourself by finding out which cooling |
| boxes, water, plastic wrap and a timer. Procedure | | | | arrangement was the fastest! Knowing that the |
| | | | freezer is not the quickest way to cool a soda can be |
| 1. Fill a Styrofoam cooler box with ice only. | | | | quite a revelation to most people. |