TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How Much Heat Will It Hold?
Students relate thermal energy to heat capacity by comparing the heat capacities of different materials and graphing the change in temperature over time for a specific material. Students learn why heat capacity is an important property...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: All Fat Is Not Created Equally!
Students learn that fats found in the foods we eat are not all the same; they discover that physical properties of materials are related to their chemical structures. Provided with several samples of commonly used fats with different...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Insulation Materials Investigation
Students test the insulation properties of different materials by timing how long it takes ice cubes to melt in the presence of various insulating materials. Students learn about the role that thermal insulation materials can play in...
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Global Warming Takes a Toll on Coral Reefs
Article describing damage caused to coral reefs in the Caribbean after an extended period of extreme heat in 2005 that raised the ocean temperature in that area. The potential, devastating consequences to humans of coral reef destruction...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Physics: Thermal Properties Study Guide
A study guide for concepts related to thermal energy.
Other
Homewood City Schools: Classification of Matter
This Homewood City Schools site has an outline form and contains lots of information about the classification and composition of matter. Some of the topics covered are matter and temperature, changes in state, composition of matter, and...
Museum of Science
The Atom's Family: Phases of Matter
Help the Phantom choose a material and observe the changes at different temperatures in the molecule chamber. What happens to the elements or molecules as the temperature changes?
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: I'm Melting, I'm Melting
In this activity you will use the EasyTemp temperature sensor. Determine the change in thermal energy for a given mass of ice. Determine the heat of fusion of ice and the percent error.
University of Sydney (Australia)
Thermal Physics Module: Thermal Expansion [Pdf]
A lengthy set of lecture notes on the topics of thermal expansion and heat absorption. The concept of specific heat capacity is explained and numerical examples are discussed. Heats of transformation (fusion, vaporization) are explained...
Chem Tutor
Chem Tutor: Chemistry: States of Matter
This lesson focuses on the states of matter: solids, liquids, and gases. It also discusses the Kinetic Theory of Matter, Thermodynamics, Triple point, Phase Change Graphs and the Heating Curve of Water. It provideds adrawing of a heating...
CPALMS
Florida State University Cpalms: Florida Students: Hot on the Trail
Learn what affect changing temperature has in regards to chemical reactions.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: What Is Weather?
Rain and dull clouds, windy blue skies, cold snow, and sticky heat? This site helps students learn more about weather and what causes it to change.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Why Earth Is Warming
Over more than a century, the global average temperature warmed 1.5F (0.8C). Learn the science of why this has happened, and what the future holds.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Global Climate Change: Atmosphere
Use this site to explore real scientific data relating to the atmosphere. With this information you can gather evidence, test theories, and come to conclusions. Click on the data examples to view a full scale version.
Physics Central
Physics Central: Physics in Your Glass: Racing Molecules
An easy experiment for demonstrating and exploring molecule movement requiring common household items: two glasses, two dark colors of food coloring, and warm and cold water. A few variations to the experiment will have students using...
University of Wisconsin
The Why Files: A Climate of Extremes
Higher temperatures are only part of the climate-change forecast. Are current extreme weather events a sign that warming is already here? What do climate models forecast for weather around the globe? Why is it so hard to predict the...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Explore the Chemistry Within Hand Warmers
Determine how the starting temperature affects crystal growth and heat generation of a hand warmer in this chemistry science fair project. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective,...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Collapsing Bottle Experiment
Explore the effect of changing temperature on air pressure using a plastic soda bottle.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Make a Thermometer
Observe how a change in temperature affects the volume of water in a bottle.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Newton's Law of Cooling
Students come to see the exponential trend demonstrated through the changing temperatures measured while heating and cooling a beaker of water. This task is accomplished by first appealing to students' real-life heating and cooling...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Moving Air
In the following lesson for students grades 3-5 students observe how changing the temperature affects a small amount of air inside of a bubble. Student sheets are provided in English and in Spanish.
Concord Consortium
Concord Consortium: Greenhouse Effect in a Greenhouse
In this activity, you will use a temperature sensor to relate changes in sunlight to the temperature of the air trapped in a container.
New York University
Nyu: Math Mol: Motion of Molecules
Examine the link between molecular motion and energy. Observe the movement of a molecule at room temperature. Learn about the different types of molecular motion.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Designing Hot and Cold Packs
in this activity, students calculate the molar enthalpy of dissolving for three ionic solids, and use this information to design a cold pack. In this experiment they measure the heat changes which occur from various salts dissolving in...