BRAINBOX - HEAT LAB-02

Students learn:

Curriculum Learning Activities
SCIENCE Identify scientific principles required to solve challenge
TECHNOLOGY Record and estimate timing data
ART Blended multimedia elements
ENGINEERING Design, build and test machine(s)
MATHEMATICS Use comparative data find and define a time-line

Leslie's cube

Leslie's cube is a simple metal container (e.g. empty Milo tin) that with four differently painted sides/sections. If it is filled with hot water (at a safe temperature to avoid burns), you can use either your hands or a thermopile connected to a meter to try and decide which surfaces give out the most heat radiation.

Remember that as the water temperature the same throughout the container, all the sides of Leslie's cube are at the SAME TEMPERATURE but touch/measurement reveals that some surfaces give out more heat radiation than others.

Leslie's cube can provide evidence to help show that:

  1. Heat radiation travels through solids
  2. Black surfaces are relatively good emitters of heat radiation
  3. Black surfaces are relatively good absorbers of heat radiation
  4. Red surfaces are not as good radiators as black surfaces
  5. Blue surfaces are not quite as good radiators as red surfaces.
  6. Measurements around the interior of the container remain relatively constant
  7. Temperature varies vertically - no matter what the external colour
  8. Shiny surfaces are relatively good

Some example questions:

For most efficient interior heating and cooling of a car: