Hello, this term we have been doing some interesting experiments and we’ve been recording it on our documents. ↓
Favourite Experiment
My favourite experiment was contraction because of the implosion. I thought that it was interesting to see how contraction works in a normal empty can of sprite!
Aim
The aim of this experiment was to observe contraction in gases.
Hypothesis
My prediction to what’ll happen is that the aluminium can will crush itself due to the fast changes in temperature.
Equipment
- Bunsen Burner
- Tripod
- Gauze Mat
- Safety Goggles
- Aluminium Can (Filled with water about 2cm tall)
- Tongs
- Matchsticks (For the fire)
- Tray filled with cold water
- Mat
Method
- Set up the bunsen burner and the mats
- Fill the empty tray with about 3 centimetres of tap water
- Put the empty soda on top of the gauze mat
- Light the matchstick and turn the gas on
- Turn the airhole around & wait until steam ariss from inside the can
- Quickly take it out with the tongs and flip it upside down onto the water filled tray
| Results |
| The can crushed itself due to the immediate changes of temperatures, it occurs when the heated can has direct touch with cool water. |
Conduction
Conduction is a process where heat is transferred through a material that moves from one area to another. The heat conveys through the objects without the objects moving itself. For this experiment, we tested conduction with some materials that were suited best; primarily bunsen burners, petroleum jelly, and pins.
Heat plays an important role when conducting; the transmition of thermal energy through immediate contact. It provides the kinetic energy that leads particle-to-particle exchange. It flows through the material from a higher temperature region to a lower temperature region.
Discussion: For this experiment, I observed that some pins will fall at the same time but some fall individually. In my understanding, it happens because of how evenly and unevenly spread out the petroleum jelly was a long the metal rod.
For the errors that we’ve made, I think that it was best to make sure the jelly was spread out evenly among the surface, so we could get better results when recording our experiment.
Convection
The procedure of convection happens where particles with significant thermal energy advance and less thermal energy descend. When we did this experiment, we observed the behaviour of the water; within the pot, the liquid would circle away then travels towards the heat source.
This phenomenon is called convection currents, the cause of this is because when the heat applies thermal energy to the particles, they rise away from the heat source which will again sink. This’ll continue to cycle when the particles rise again.
Heat operates as the force for when doing a convection experiment. This causes fluids (Or gases) to shift and transfer energy.
Discussion: From what I perceived from this experiment, the most interesting part was the convection currents. The reason for this is because the potassium permanganate was moving towards the heat source then away from the heat source.
Concluding from this experiment, I think that me and my group did a great job at keeping our eyes on the beaker, no errors were made in my perspective.
Contraction
Contraction happens when lower and higher temperature collides which will then cause the object to contract. This happens because heat takes action as to activate the air and prepare the can for high speed contraction. This process creates a vacuum which pulls the can inwards, resulting in an implosion.
Heat is the key catalyst for when doing the can crusher experiment. It supplies the energy required to replace the state of water, allowing atmospheric pressure to subside the container.
Discussion: Some observations I’ve made during this experiment was making sure steam was rising from the can first before quickly dipping it onto the tray of water. Because the first time we did it, it was a success but the second time didn’t go as planned.
I think that we should’ve left the can to heat up more and be patient, so then we could properly state on what had happened to the can onto our document.
Diffusion
The operation of diffusion occurs in this experiment when the potassium permanganate spreads throughout the water due to the particles in the water and the chemical’s (potassium permanganate) constant movement.
The impact of heat to diffusion experiments is important because heat has a greater increase rate of diffusion. Higher temperatures escalate the kinetic energy of particles, which causes them to move faster rather than in cooler temperatures.
Discussion: I noticed that the potassium permanganate would only travel to a specific area, we were unsure why which led to the chemical not being able to turn the water fully purple.
Concluding from this experiment, some errors we did was accidentally moving the petri dish while it was still spreading around.
Expansion
Expansion happens when particles start to vibrate faster and bump each other apart when heat (thermal energy) is added, causing all 3 states of matter to expand.
Discussion: Some things I observed was how fast matter (especially solids) can expand within 3 minutes or less. Watching the ball get stuck trying to go inside the hole was interesting.
I think that my group and I did and amazing job, especially when the results linked up to our hypothesis.
Conclusion
For these past few weeks we’ve been doing these experiments, it was quite fun. I got to learn how heat has the most effects of the 5 experiments. From my understanding, heat plays a vital role in all, especially when transferring thermal energy from areas to another or transferring heat to travel throughout an object.
