SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS ON FILE Revised Edition 5.11-1 Coffee-and-Cream Science Jim Nelson Topic Newton s law of cooling Time 1 hour! Safety Please click on the safety icon to view the safety precautions. Materials 250-mL beaker (or coffee cup) 50-mL beaker (or a metric measuring cup) 0 100 Celsius thermometer (or a candy/deep-fry thermometer and a red-liquid outdoor thermometer) spoon graph paper and colored pens or pencils hot and cold water or coffee and cream graduated cylinder watch with second hand Procedure 1. Obtain a 250-mL beaker and a 50 ml-beaker to act as a cup for the coffee and pitcher for the cream, or use measuring cups. Fill the beakers to these suggested volumes: 150 ml coffee, 40 ml cream. If coffee and cream are not available, use hot water (about 80 C) and cold water (10 C). 2. Place a thermometer in the coffee or hot water. Make sure the beaker of hot liquid is not going to spill or be pulled over by the thermometer. (If a laboratory thermometer is not available, you can use a candy/deep-fry thermometer to test the coffee or hot water and an outdoor thermometer to test the cream or cold liquid.) Record your data. 3. When the initial conditions have been noted, start measuring the temperature of the hot liquid every 30 sec. It is not necessary to repeatedly measure the temperature of the cold liquid. Be sure to note its initial temperature so that you can duplicate it in the second trial. Record your data. 4. After making the temperature measurement at 2 min, add the cold liquid to the hot liquid and stir. Continue taking temperature readings every 30 sec for a total of 15 min. Record them on data table 1.
5.11-2 SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS ON FILE Revised Edition DATA TABLE 1 Starting temperature, coffee: Starting temperature, cream: 1st trial Coffee temperature ( C) 2d trial 30 sec 1 min 1 min 30 sec 2 min 2 min 30 sec 3 min 3 min 30 sec 4 min 4 min 30 sec 5 min 5 min 30 sec 6 min 6 min 30 sec 7 min 7 min 30 sec 8 min 8 min 30 sec 9 min 9 min 30 sec 10 min 10 min 30 sec 11 min 11 min 30 sec 12 min 12 min 30 sec 13 min 13 min 30 sec 14 min 14 min 30 sec 15 min 5. Rinse the beakers or cups. 6. To take a second set of data, obtain more hot and cold liquids. To make a valid comparison between trials, the conditions for this second set of data must be identical to the conditions of the first trial, except that the cold liquid should be added after taking the temperature reading at 12 min (about the length of a brief meal). Do not start to take the second set of temperature measurements until the starting temperature of the hot liquid is equal to the starting temperature of the hot liquid in the first trial. 7. Record the temperature during this second trial every 30 seconds, for a total of 15 min. Remember to add the cold liquid to the hot liquid after taking the temperature reading at 12 min. 8. If you would like to investigate the cooling process further, repeat this experiment, trying one of the following variations: Use two differently shaped containers. Use containers made of different materials. Use a different volume ratio of hot to cold liquid.
SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS ON FILE Revised Edition 5.11-3 DATA TABLE 2 Layer Description of layer Purpose (hypothesis) 1 2 3 4 5 9. Make a line graph showing the results of both your trials. Put Time (min) on the horizontal axis and Temperature (Celsius) on the vertical axis. Plot the results of each trial in a different color. 10. Which cup of liquid was hotter after 15 min? What conclusion can you draw from this result? 11. If you tried one of the variations in step 8, describe any variations in the results. Explain these new results. What s Going On The temperature is higher at the end of the first trial; thus you should add the cream to the coffee when served if you want it to stay hot until the end of the meal. In accordance with Newton s law of cooling, the rate of cooling will be most rapid at the start of the experiment when the difference between the temperatures of the coffee and the surrounding air and cup is greatest. Adding cool cream slows the cooling rate by decreasing the difference in temperature between the hot liquid and its surroundings. Container shape and material and hot and cold volume ratio can affect cooling rate. Connections According to Newton s law of cooling, a hot object transfers heat to its surroundings (cools) at a rate proportionate to the difference in temperature between the two. In this experiment, you tested this law by answering a practical question: If you are served a cup of coffee that you plan to drink after you have finished eating, and you want the coffee to stay as hot as possible, should you add the cream right away or wait until you are ready to drink it?
Safety Precautions READ AND COPY BEFORE STARTING ANY EXPERIMENT Experimental science can be dangerous. Events can happen very quickly while you are performing an experiment. Things can spill, break, even catch fire. Basic safety procedures help prevent serious accidents. Be sure to follow additional safety precautions and adult supervision requirements for each experiment. If you are working in a lab or in the field, do not work alone. This book assumes that you will read the safety precautions that follow, as well as those at the start of each experiment you perform, and that you will remember them. These precautions will not always be repeated in the instructions for the procedures. It is up to you to use good judgment and pay attention when performing potentially dangerous procedures. Just because the book does not always say be careful with hot liquids or don t cut yourself with the knife does not mean that you should be careless when simmering water or stripping an electrical wire. It does mean that when you see a special note to be careful, it is extremely important that you pay attention to it. If you ever have a question about whether a procedure or material is dangerous, stop to find out for sure that it is safe before continuing the experiment. To avoid accidents, always pay close attention to your work, take your time, and practice the general safety procedures listed below. PREPARE Clear all surfaces before beginning work. Read through the whole experiment before you start. Identify hazardous procedures and anticipate dangers. PROTECT YOURSELF Follow all directions step by step; do only one procedure at a time. Locate exits, fire blanket and extinguisher, master gas and electricity shut-offs, eyewash, and first-aid kit. Make sure that there is adequate ventilation. Do not horseplay. Wear an apron and goggles. Do not wear contact lenses, open shoes, and loose clothing; do not wear your hair loose. Keep floor and work space neat, clean, and dry. Clean up spills immediately. Never eat, drink, or smoke in the laboratory or near the work space. Do not taste any substances tested unless expressly permitted to do so by a science teacher in charge. USE EQUIPMENT WITH CARE Set up apparatus far from the edge of the desk. Use knives and other sharp or pointed instruments with caution; always cut away from yourself and others. Pull plugs, not cords, when inserting and removing electrical plugs. Don t use your mouth to pipette; use a suction bulb. Clean glassware before and after use. Check glassware for scratches, cracks, and sharp edges. Clean up broken glassware immediately. v
vi Safety SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS ON FILE REVISED EDITION Do not use reflected sunlight to illuminate your microscope. Do not touch metal conductors. Use only low-voltage and low-current materials. Be careful when using stepstools, chairs, and ladders. USING CHEMICALS Never taste or inhale chemicals. Label all bottles and apparatus containing chemicals. Read all labels carefully. Avoid chemical contact with skin and eyes (wear goggles, apron, and gloves). Do not touch chemical solutions. Wash hands before and after using solutions. Wipe up spills thoroughly. HEATING INSTRUCTIONS Use goggles, apron, and gloves when boiling liquids. Keep your face away from test tubes and beakers. Never leave heating apparatus unattended. Use safety tongs and heat-resistant mittens. Turn off hot plates, bunsen burners, and gas when you are done. Keep flammable substances away from heat. Have a fire extinguisher on hand. WORKING WITH MICROORGANISMS Assume that all microorganisms are infectious; handle them with care. Sterilize all equipment being used to handle microorganisms. GOING ON FIELD TRIPS Do not go on a field trip by yourself. Tell a responsible adult where you are going, and maintain that route. Know the area and its potential hazards, such as poisonous plants, deep water, and rapids. Dress for terrain and weather conditions (prepare for exposure to sun as well as to cold). Bring along a first-aid kit. Do not drink water or eat plants found in the wild. Use the buddy system; do not experiment outdoors alone. FINISHING UP Thoroughly clean your work area and glassware. Be careful not to return chemicals or contaminated reagents to the wrong containers. Don t dispose of materials in the sink unless instructed to do so. Wash your hands thoroughly. Clean up all residue, and containerize it for proper disposal. Dispose of all chemicals according to local, state, and federal laws. BE SAFETY-CONSCIOUS AT ALL TIMES