
Ceiling Height and Room Temperature
Medium
Why are rooms with high ceilings often cooler? You build three cardboard boxes ranging from 1 meter to 3 meters tall. Each box has the same floor size and ventilation holes.
You place a 25-watt lamp on the floor inside each box. Once the temperature levels off, you read the thermometer. The 1-meter box reaches 36.5°C. The 3-meter box stays at 28.5°C. Taller ceilings mean cooler air near the floor.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the higher the ceiling, the lower the room temperature.
Method & Materials
You will construct 3 boxes of different heights using cardboard and measure the temperature inside each one using a thermometer.
You will need 27 pieces of cardboard, a measuring tape, 3 incandescent lamps, 3 thermometers, a ruler, a paper knife, and a roll of masking tape.
Results
The results of the experiment showed that the higher the ceiling, the lower the temperature inside the box. This suggests that houses with higher ceilings are better suited for warmer climates, as they provide better air ventilation and keep temperatures lower.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it explores the relationship between two seemingly unrelated variables - ceiling height and room temperature.
Also Consider
To further explore this relationship, consider repeating the experiment with lamps of different wattage, or by making the floor space of the box bigger or smaller.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.Related video
These videos explain the science behind this project and demonstrate key concepts used in the experiment.
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