Create a Travel Mug That Will Minimize Heat Loss

Design Challenge

Create a Travel Mug That Will Minimize Heat Loss

Introduction to Insulators -Touch a carpet with the palm of your hand → it feels warm to touch. The carpet feels warm because it is a good insulator. Good insulators transfer heat away slowly. Touch a floor tile with the palm of your hand → it feels cold to touch. The tile feels cold because it is a poor insulator. Poor insulators transfer heat away quickly.

Heat Transfer - Heat transfers from a hot substance to a cold substance. This heat transfer continues until both substances are at the same temperature. Heat is transferred in 3 different ways:

CONDUCTION, CONVECTION and RADIATION.

Your Travel Mug should minimize all three.

a)Conductors transfer the heat quickly. A frying pan is an example of a conductor. Heat from the stove is transferred through the frying pan’s molecules very quickly.

b)Insulators transfer the heat slowly. Pink fiberglass insulation, used in homes, is an example of an insulator. On a cold day, heat inside a house is transferred very slowly to the outside.

What are Good Insulators? Make a list of household materials that are suitable for your Travel Mug.

Your Assignment:

1. With or without a partner you must design and build a Travel Mug that will minimize heat loss while holding a maximum of 500 mL of hot water. The Travel Mug must be a reasonable size for a travel mug. The mug must have a space in the top which will allow for a thermometer to be placed in the water.
2. You will need to create a poster that answers the questions at the bottom of this sheet
3. After the testing is completed, you will need to present a 30 sec. infomercial. The purpose of this infomercial is to highlight the features of your thermos and explain why it is more desirable than the others. This may be performed and taped prior to the due date.

Questions:

1. Draw and label a cross section of your Travel Mug.

1. List all materials used to insulate your cup and the purpose of each item as well as any other highlights.

(ie. _____ stops heat being radiated out because …)

1. How would you change your Travel Mug if you had to repeat this assignment and why?

1. If working in a pair, list each person’s responsibilities (what did each person do?).

1. Draw a line graph showing the decrease in temperature

Heat Loss Design Challenge Rubric

LEVEL 1 / LEVEL 2 / LEVEL 3 / LEVEL 4
Application
(compared to a Tim Horton’s Mug) / Application of particle theory resulted in a high amount of heat loss / Application of particle theory resulted in a considerable amount of heat loss / Application of particle theory resulted in some heat loss / Application of particle theory resulted in limited heat loss
Knowledge and Understanding / Uses the particle theory to explain the process of heat transfer with limited effectiveness. / Uses the particle theory to explain the process of heat transfer with some effectiveness theory / Uses the particle theory to explain the process of heat transfer with considerable effectiveness. / Uses the particle theory to explain the process of heat transfer with a high degree of effectiveness.
Uses limited scientific terms / Uses some scientific terms / Uses considerable scientific terms / Uses scientific terminology with a high degree of effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
on graph with limited
effectiveness / Expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
on graph with some
effectiveness / Expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
on graph with considerable
effectiveness / Expresses and
organizes ideas
and information
on graph with a high
degree of
effectiveness
Thinking / Inquiry skills / Applies creative thinking skills with limited effectiveness / Applies creative thinking skills with moderate effectiveness / Applies creative thinking skills with considerable effectiveness / Applies creative thinking skills with a high degree of effectiveness
Artistic Design / Uses colour, shape and design with limited artistic appeal / Uses colour, shape and design with some artistic appeal / Uses colour, shape and design with considerable artistic appeal / Uses colour, shape and design with a high degree of artistic appeal
Oral Presentation / Many words unclear; voice was monotonous; spoke too quickly or slowly; no pausing for emphasis; voice too low to hear easily / Some words unclear; voice sometime varied; sometimes spoke too quickly or slowly; some pauses for emphasis; sometimes voice too quiet / Most words clear; voice was varied; interesting; often paused for emphasis; voice easily heard / Words clear; voice frequently varied; correct pacing; interesting; effective pausing for emphasis; voice easily heard

Group members:

Class: ______