Experiment: How Insulation Affects Temperature

Let's do a simple experiment to see how insulation helps keep things warm!

What You'll Need:

• Two identical containers (like beakers)
• A thermometer
• Some insulation material (such as wool or Styrofoam)
• A stopwatch

Steps to Follow:

1. Fill both containers with the same amount of hot water (about 100 mL at 80°C).
2. Wrap one container in your insulating material. Keep the other one plain, without any insulation.
3. Check the starting temperature of both containers and write it down.
4. Every five minutes for 30 minutes, measure and note the temperature of both containers.

What You Can Expect:

• The container without insulation will usually lose heat much quicker. It might drop about 15°C.
• The insulated container, however, should only lose about 5°C.

This shows us how well insulation works to keep heat in!