Insert a thermometer into each container.Make sure you have equal amounts of water to each container. Use measuring cups to transfer the hot water from your bucket to both of your small containers.WARNING: Hot tap water can be scalding, so handle with care and with adult supervision.

Fill a bucket or large pot with hot water.

Leave the other container unwrapped and uncovered.

WARNING: Do not attempt to push a glass thermometer through the material to make the hole.

Carefully make a hole the size of the thermometer in the top of your insulator cover by poking a nail through the material.

If you are using cotton balls, glue them together to make a cotton ball 'blanket.' Wait for the glue to dry before continuing the experiment. Wrap all the sides evenly, and be sure to cover the top of the container, too.

Completely wrap one of your two containers with the insulators you have chosen.

Now it is time to set up your experiment!

Different types of insulators, such as cardboard, polystyrene foam, newspaper, cotton balls, wool, and/or fiberglass.

Two thermometers (the experiment can still work if you only have one.).

Two identical small containers for holding water, such as plastic drinking cups, small coffee cans, or Mason jars.

This simple experiment demonstrates how it can affect the change in the temperature of a liquid.īe sure to conduct this experiment with adult supervision, because you'll be using hot tap water. Insulation is any material that prevents an object from drastically changing its temperature. Have you ever wondered why animals like polar bears and penguins are able to stay warm in sub-zero temperatures? Or why a cup of hot cocoa doesn't stay hot for a very long time? The answer to both of these questions involves insulation.

Science for Students: Wrap Your Mind Around Insulation!

Frozen bubble science project