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BRONIKA STEPHEN POLINUS

PCK 2 : TO OBSERVE THE EFFECT OF HEAT ON INSULATOR AND CONDUCTOR.

Theory:

Insulator is a material that does not easily allow energy, such as heat, electricity,

light, or sound to pass through it. Examples of good insulator are wood, sand, water,

rubber, cotton, paper, glass, and air. Insulator is used as a matter of protection from

heat flow, electricity, light or sound. For example, since wood does not easily transmit

heat, wood is used for cooking utensils. You can hold these utensils and stir very hot

food without the utensil getting hot and burning your hand.

Conductor is materials that easily transmit energy. This means that energy is

able to move through a conductor. Examples of good conductor are metals such as

copper, aluminium, silver, iron and also salt solution. Aluminium is used to make

saucepan since it is good conductor.

The specific heat of a substance is an important physical property because it tells

us the suitability of a given substance for a specific purpose. Aluminium vessels are

used in cooking because aluminium is a light metal. Hence, for a given volume, its

thermal capacity will be less than that of vessels made of steel of same volume.

The high specific heat of water explains why land close to a large pond of water

is likely to have a milder climate than land without a pond close by. Because of highspecific heat, water on the land gets heated slowly. Land near the pond also gets

heated slowly. For the same amount of heat, dry land gets heated quickly to a much

higher temperature. Soil is a poor conductor, prevents the heat from going deep into the

ground. Hence, the heat causes a quick rise in temperature on dry land. For same

reasons, land areas far from water-cool off much faster than land near large bodies of

water.

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Design an investigation to prove that aluminium is a good conductor whereas

water is a good insulator.

Problem : How to determine the good conductor and good insulator?

Aim : To determine the good conductor and good insulator

Hypothesis :Aluminium is good conductor while the water is good insulator

Materials : Heater 60 W, aluminium saucepan, 1 kg of water, 1 kg block of

aluminium, thermometer, stop clock, balance.

Procedure:

1. Water

i. Put 1 kg of water in the saucepan and measure its temperature.

ii. Hold the heater and switch on the power supply.

iii. When the heater getting warm put it in the water and starts the stop clock.

iv. After 10 minutes switch off the power supply, stir the water and take its

temperature.

v. Allow the heater to cool in air.

2. Aluminium

i. Put the thermometer in the small hole in the aluminium block.

ii. Switch on the heater and when it is warm put it in the large hole in the block and

start the stop clock, having recorded the initial temperature of the block.

iii. After 10 minutes switch off the power supply and take the temperature of the

block.

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Result:

WATER ALUMINIUM

Initial temperature (0C)

Final temperature (0C)

Temperature change (/oC)

Conclusion:

Aluminium is good conductor than water because it can transfer the heat energy faster

than water. The final temperature of aluminium is higher than water.

Which substance is having a higher capacity? Discuss.

The specific heat capacity of water is higher than aluminium. The temperature of water

increases slowly than aluminium when heated and decrease slowly when cooled down.

Water has relatively higher specific heat capacity due to the hydrogen bonding amongst

its molecule.

At the end of these activities;1. What have you learnt from these two activities?

From these activities, I have learnt that aluminium is good conductor while water is a

good insulator. I have a wrong concept about water before whereas I thought water is a

good conductor. After doing this activities and do some homework/ research about this

topic, I learnt than water is actually good insulator. It only can conduct heat or electricity

in the presence of other minerals. Other than that, I also learnt than there are no

relationship between thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. Before this, I

assume that materials with higher specific heat capacity can conduct heat better. Doing

these activities increase my inquiry to learn more about these. Hence I tried my best to

do some reading. According to my reading, I learnt that specific heat capacity is actually

not related to the thermal conductivity.

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2. Which part of the primary science curriculum teaches this particular topic?

Year 4 Learning

Objectives

Suggested Learning

Activities

Learning

Outcomes

Theme:

Investigating

Materials

1.2

Understanding

that properties

of

material

Pupils are given various

objects made of wood, plastic,

metal, glass or rubber and

group them according to the

materials they are made of.

Pupils test objects made of

wood, plastic, metal, glass or

rubber to find out if they:

a) conduct electricity,

b) conduct heat,

c) float on water,

d) absorb water,

e) can be stretched,

f) allow light to pass through.

Discuss what conductor and

insulator are.

Based on the graphic

organizer, pupils make a

generalization that a good heat

conductor is also a good

electric conductor.

Pupils :

Identify materials

that conduct

heat.

State what a

conductor is.

State what an

insulator is

Make a

generalization

that a good

conductor of

heat is also a

good conductor

of electricity

3. Discuss how you can use these activities in your teaching and learning.

- Teacher can use demonstration to demonstrate the activities then give the

pupils chance to do by themselves doing by group.

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- Carry out the group discussion to determine the good insulator and conductor

of heat.

- Provide simpler activities for pupils to determine insulator and conductor.

- Ask the pupils to construct container for hot and cold food by applying their

knowledge about heat insulator and conductor.

4. What was the role of the teacher in these activities?

- Facilitator

Teacher must practices democratic teaching style, and pupils are encouraged

to air their opinions through discussion. This role also required on the

organization of group activities according to individual differences.

-Guidance

Teacher play role as a guide in their learning process. For example, explain

about the learning objective, method of the activity, inculcate moral values

etc. Teacher also assist students to solve problems during their learning

process besides to instil students awareness on the importance of learning

while they are in the early development stage.

- Motivator

Teacher motivate students and helps them to adapt and adjust personal,

social, emotional, academic, mental and behavioural problems they are

facing.

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REFERENCE:

Tony R Khulphadi. 2000-2002. Conductors, insulator and Electron Flow.Access fromhttp://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/t-conductors-and-insulators.aspx

On 17 January 2011.

Unknown author. ( ).Conductors and Insulator. Retrieved from

www.tutorvista.com/content/physics/physics-ii/electricity/conductors-insulators.php

on 20 January 2011

Unknown Author. The Specific Heat of Aluminium. Retrieved from

www.physicslabs.umb.edu/Physics/sum07/Exp_182_Sum07.pdf on 23 January

2011

Unknown author.( ). Insulator vs Conductors. Retrieved from

http://scienceprojectideasforkids.com/2010/insulator-vs-conductor/ on
http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/t-conductors-and-insulators.aspxhttp://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/t-conductors-and-insulators.aspxhttp://www.tutorvista.com/content/physics/physics-ii/electricity/conductors-insulators.php%20%20on%2020%20January%202011http://www.tutorvista.com/content/physics/physics-ii/electricity/conductors-insulators.php%20%20on%2020%20January%202011http://www.physicslabs.umb.edu/Physics/sum07/Exp_182_Sum07.pdfhttp://www.physicslabs.umb.edu/Physics/sum07/Exp_182_Sum07.pdfhttp://scienceprojectideasforkids.com/2010/insulator-vs-conductor/http://scienceprojectideasforkids.com/2010/insulator-vs-conductor/http://scienceprojectideasforkids.com/2010/insulator-vs-conductor/http://www.physicslabs.umb.edu/Physics/sum07/Exp_182_Sum07.pdfhttp://www.tutorvista.com/content/physics/physics-ii/electricity/conductors-insulators.php%20%20on%2020%20January%202011http://www.tutorvista.com/content/physics/physics-ii/electricity/conductors-insulators.php%20%20on%2020%20January%202011http://www.rare-earth-magnets.com/t-conductors-and-insulators.aspx

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60187105-PCK-2