We've had some time off of school and are jumping right back in!
We've figured out the mass of a closed-cup system does not change. The fact that it's closed doesn't allow any molecules to enter or exit the system. If it did, the mass would change, which it hasn't.
BUT...our temperatures have changed. How does the temperature of a close-cup system change???
We had some ideas that centered around two things: light and heat/cold. So we developed some initial models to explain our thinking. Here are some examples of students' ideas:
We've figured out the mass of a closed-cup system does not change. The fact that it's closed doesn't allow any molecules to enter or exit the system. If it did, the mass would change, which it hasn't.
BUT...our temperatures have changed. How does the temperature of a close-cup system change???
We had some ideas that centered around two things: light and heat/cold. So we developed some initial models to explain our thinking. Here are some examples of students' ideas:
We sat in a scientist circle and shared our thinking, much of which involved the light going through the cup and changing the temperature of the cold water to be warmer. We think the same thing is going on with heat, which starts on the outside and ventures its way in. This means that the cup gets light or heat, and that light or heat hits the walls which then hits the water molecules near the walls, changing from cold to warm.
We came to consensus on how we think this happens:
We came to consensus on how we think this happens:
This left us with some questions...
Like how does the cup's surface affect the light and heat that can transfer through the cup? Does any of the light or heat not make it into the cup and go elsewhere? How do these things affect the function of a cup that's meant to keep a drink either hot or cold? How can we gather evidence to see what the light and heat actually do to the temperature of the liquid in the cup?
Boy, are we thinking deeply here in the 6th grade!!!
Like how does the cup's surface affect the light and heat that can transfer through the cup? Does any of the light or heat not make it into the cup and go elsewhere? How do these things affect the function of a cup that's meant to keep a drink either hot or cold? How can we gather evidence to see what the light and heat actually do to the temperature of the liquid in the cup?
Boy, are we thinking deeply here in the 6th grade!!!