HOT OR COLD

PROBLEM: Can I tell if something is hot or cold by touching it?

RESEARCH: Look up heat in a science textbook. Find out what causes something to become hot. Make a data table to show the freezing point and boiling point for water. Write a paragraph about point of view.

HYPOTHESIS: Based on your research do you think you will be able to decide if the objects you touch are hot or cold?

MATERIALS:          Three glasses          

PROCEDURE:

1. Fill one glass with hot water (not hot enough to hurt your hand), one with ice water (take the ice out before you begin), and one with water that is room temperature.

2. Put a finger of one hand in the hot water and a finger of the other hand in the cold water. Keep them in the water for about one minute.

3. Put the finger from the hot water in the room temperature water.

4. Put the finger from the ice water in the room temperature water.

5. In the data section describe what you felt.

6. Enrichment: Have someone in your family complete the project. Be sure to record their observations.

DATA: On your own paper, record your observations and inferences.

CONCLUSION: This is not optional. You must explain what you learned by doing this activity.

Remember that you must answer the question you asked in your original problem statement.

NOTE: BE SURE TO HAVE YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN SIGNS YOUR WORK. PARENTS: YOUR SIGNATURE SHOWS YOUR STUDENT HAS DONE THE WORK.

TEACHER SECTION:

POSSIBLE HYPOTHESIS: Guesses could include ideas such as, there will be no difference, the water will be hot or cold.

POSSIBLE CONCLUSION: Students should discuss their observations that the finger from the hot water felt cold when placed in the room temperature water and that the finger from the cold water felt hot when placed in the room temperature water. There should be some discussion about the point of view from each hand being different when the water in the room temperature glass stayed the same.

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Judy Schneider

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