Changes in Heat
By Mrs. Scott
Why is it colder in the night than in the day?
• The sun is the greatest heat source in the world. • As the sun comes up, it warms the world. • As the sun goes down, the heat is taken away and it cools off.
What will happen to this cold snowman throughout the day as the sun warms it up?
The warmth of the sun will cause the snowman to melt.
What would happen to the temperature of the boiling water in this kettle if I added ice cubes?
The coolness of the ice cubes would change the temperature of the water from hot to lukewarm.
• The temperature of both the snowman and the boiling water changed to a temperature that was not really cold or really hot, but rather somewhere in the middle.
How is the change in temperature of the snowman and the boiling water related?
Insulators and conductors allow us to somewhat control the flow of heat or the change in temperature of objects.
A cooler is an insulator.
• The molecules in an insulator are far apart. This helps prevent heat from flowing in or out.
A pot is a conductor.
• The molecules in a conductor are close together. This allows the heat to move to all parts of the pot and the stew in the pot.