Education Technology

Science: Vernier - Chill Out: How Hot Objects Cool

by Vernier Software & Technology

Overview

Students use a temperature probe to collect data as the warmed probe cools. Students investigate Newton's law of cooling and model cooling data with an exponential function. They fit the data to a mathematical model after analysis.

Key Steps

  • Image

    After warming up an EasyTemp sensor, students let it cool.

  • Image

    The temperature values are corrected to show temperature change, and then students use a guess-and-test method to find a base e exponential model

  • Image

    Students then calculate an Exponential Regression that gives the model with a different base.  The two models are compared.