NAME: ____________________________________ GROUP #: _________________

YEAR AND SECTION: _________________________ DATE: ____________________

ACTIVITY: EXPLAINING HOTNESS OR COLDNESS

Materials:

 3 Identical containers
 Thermometer
 Hot water
 Tap water (room temperature)
 Cold water

Procedure:

1. Half-fill the three containers with equal amount of cold water.

2. Place your finger for a while into any of the containers.

Try to recall your lesson on Heat Transfer in Grade 7 and answer the following questions:

QUESTION #1: What actually transferred when you dipped your finger into the water? In what direction did it
transfer? ______________________________________________________________________________.

QUESTION #2: Was the water ‘hot’ or ‘cold’? Explain. __________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________.

3. Measure with a thermometer the temperature of the water in each container. Record your
measurements in Table 1 below. (Note: The initial temperature of the water in each container should be the
same as they come from the same source.)

Table 1: Data for Activity

Estimated temperature of water: ___________ (°C)

MEASURED TEMPERATURE
CHANGE IN
CONTAINER INITIAL FINAL
TEMPERATURE
TEMPERATURE TEMPERATURE
A
B
C

QUESTION #4: How close is your estimated value to the measured temperature of the water? __________.
4. Add the same amount of hot water to container 1, tap water to container 2 and the same cold water
to container 3. Leave the containers for a while.

5. Dip your fingers again, this time into the three containers. Make sure that you do not dip the same
finger into the containers.

QUESTION #4: Which container feels ‘hottest’? Which container feels ‘coolest’? _____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

QUESTION #5: What do you think causes the difference in the hotness or coldness of the water inside the
containers? ___________________________________________________________________________.

6. Measure and record the temperature of the water in all containers. Calculate the change in the
temperature of water in each container.

QUESTION #6: In which container(s) is heat transfer taking place? What evidence best supports your
answer? Within this container, which absorbs heat? Which gives off heat? ___________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________.

QUESTION #7: In which container was there the greatest amount of heat transferred? What is the basis of
your answer? __________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

QUESTION #8: How are the amount of heat transferred and the change in temperature of water related?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.

KEY CONCEPT: You have just observed that if heat is absorbed or given off by
an object, its temperature changes. If the object absorbs heat its temperature
increases, if the object gives off heat, its temperature decreases.

Prepared by:
Edwin M. Guanko II
SST-I