We went back to our investigation list of ideas and remembered that we should try changing one variable at a time to see what it could possibly do. We agreed the lid would be our easiest step. Plus, we feel that the lid plays a substantial role! Students shared out their initial thinking about what the lid would do!
And then we tested it. Here's what we found:
Our cup without a lid dropped more in temperature than a cup with a lid. We were curious what else this meant in regards to data collection, especially as many of us were thinking that something is leaving the cups through evaporation. We decided model our thinking (yet again)!
It was unanimous that we should weigh the cups, as if anything is leaving the cups through evaporation, we'd see a weight change. So we ran the investigation again (or Mrs. Brinza did...ha!). Here's what we found:
So our change in mass made us realize one big thing: that water is getting into the air. But how on earth is it getting up there? Obviously the lid is playing a role like door to a house, but here's what the students thought.
With all this water out of the cups and into the air (we think), we took a turn to use something right outside all our houses in January here in Chicago...snow!