Task 7

Materials and tools for a working group:

ice cubes, scales (or measuring cup), colored trays with lid (or plastic containers wrapped in colored paper), clock

Procedure:

In order to investigate more precisely the effect of color on temperature, the teacher and pupils can carry out an activity to investigate the effect of color on melting ice. If pupils already know that dark color receives more energy compared to light and at the same time emits more energy, they will further explore, as will be the case with different colors and ice – a combination of color and a cool body.

The task of the pupils will therefore be to find out in which container (eg sealable plastic) the ice will melt more quickly. It is important to point out to pupils that the same conditions are met when selecting the container and the amount of ice; the containers should be the same (same material, shape, size). In order to maintain the same amount of ice, it can e.g. weigh (it should be kept in mind that when using ice cubes, not everybody needs to be the same. The weight of the ice cubes should be approximately the same). They write their predictions in the worksheet again. We recommend that the teacher prepare ice cubes the day in advance – he can bring it to the classroom in a thermos.

As pupils already have knowledge about the effect of color on temperature from previous tasks, the teacher emphasizes how to verify their predictions. Ice will melt in all containers – but it is important to find out in which more quickly and in which less quickly. Pupils should therefore propose a precise procedure in which these differences are detected, resp. they will be able to measure them. They record their progress in the worksheet. After expiry of the agreed time (e.g. 25 min), ice from the containers eg. weigh and compare with their weight before placing in containers, or they can measure the amount of water present in each container using a measuring cup. At the end of the activity, they will conclude their research. Pupils find that in containers of darker color, the ice melts more than in light containers. Another variant may be to compare the temperature in the containers (containers from task 5) with different contents – e.g. filled with water, sand, gravel, clay, etc.