Which metal carries heat the farthest along a wire? Some metals move energy through their structure much faster than others. This difference is called thermal conductivity (how well a material moves heat).
You dip one end of three different wires into boiling water. One is copper. One is aluminum. One is steel. Each wire is one meter long with marks every 200 mm. After 20 minutes you measure the temperature at each mark.
Copper stays the hottest along its full length. Steel cools down the fastest over the same distance.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that copper wire is a better thermal conductor than steel or aluminum, and steel wire is the worst.
Different solid materials move heat from the hot end to the cold end at different speeds. This difference is called thermal conductivity. When you dip copper, aluminum, and steel wires into boiling water, copper stays the hottest along its full length. Steel cools down the fastest over the same distance.
Different metals carry heat along their length at very different rates. When you dip one end of copper, aluminum, and steel wires into boiling water, each one moves energy through its structure at its own pace. After 20 minutes, copper stays the hottest along its full length. Steel, by contrast, cools down the fastest over the same distance — meaning heat moves through it more slowly than through copper.
Method & Materials
You will measure the thermal conductivity of copper, aluminum, and steel wires by suspending them in boiling water and measuring the temperature along the length of the wire.
You will need copper, aluminum, and steel wires, two beakers, tap water, a hot plate, a ruler, a marker pen, an infrared digital thermometer, and a clock.
MEL Physics — hands-on physics experiment kits delivered monthly — real experiments, not just reading. (Affiliate link)
The experiment showed that the temperature of the copper wire increased along the length of the wire more quickly than the other two wires. This proves that copper is the best thermal conductor and steel is the worst.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it demonstrates the concept of thermal conductivity and how it can be applied to everyday life.
Also Consider
Consider repeating the experiment using different metals like brass, nickel, or zinc. You could also repeat the experiment using different lengths and diameters of wire.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
