Investigation planner: Stage 1

Name: Ruby Foulis

19/04/2016
Other members of your team:

Date:

We are going to investigate:

Does the designed solar cooker rise in temperature when placed in the
sun? What is the maximum temperature reached and what is the average
temperature that is maintained for the longest amount of time?
We will change:
An element that could be change in this experiment could be the removal
of the black card from the bottom of the shoebox.
We will measure/observe:
I will measure the temperature on the thermometer for 10 minutes
documenting every 2 minutes the changes observed.
We will keep the same:
The basic design of this solar cooker will remain the same, as will the
skewer that is holding up the reflective flap at the desired angle. This
could be a possible variable to investigate further.
Variables Grid
Elicit variables: What things might affect the accuracy of the test
conducted?
Weather Cloudy
weather could play a
major part in the
results of the
experiment.
The angle of the
reflective flap could
have affect on the
results of the
experiment.

Outside Temperature
Different temperature
days could affect the
results of the
experiment.
The angle at which the
skewer is holding the
reflective surface up
could have affect on
the results of the
experiment.

Black card on the

bottom of the shoebox
could provide different
results if it were to be
removed.
Would a smaller box
used in the same
manner get hotter
because it is less space
to heat?

Testing time the

results could vary as
the testing times may
not be as consistent as
desired.
Focus question: What happens to the maximum and average temperature
measured

when we change the design by removing the black card from the bottom
of the shoebox?

Investigation planner: Stages 2 & 3

Name: Ruby Foulis
Other members of your team:

Date 19/04/2016

Question for investigation

What do you think will happen?

Will the removal of the black card from the Explain why.
bottom of the shoebox increase/decrease
the overall maximum temperature
reached?
Will it add or decrease the consistency of
the average temperature?

Honestly I am not sure what will happen. I

am aware that black is a hot colour and
when you wear black clothes they absorb
the heat. For this reason alone as I dont
know much about the qualities of alfoil. I
presume that the removal of black card
will result in a lower maximum
temperature and a lower consistency of
average temperature.

What things (variables) are you going to:

Change
Measure/observe
Keep the same

Remove black card from

bottom of device.

I will practice the same

temperature measuring
technique as practices on
the previous test.

How will you make it a fair test?

My best efforts will go to ensuring a fair
test is conducted, I will do this by keeping
the solar cooker in the same position on
the ground and taking data in the exact
same method as the previous test.

All parts of the solar cooker

will remain the same apart
from the removal of the
black card from the bottom
of the shoebox.

Draw the equipment you will use

and show how it will be set up.

Shoebox Black Card.

Write and draw about your observations in your science journal (and record
your results in a table).

Presenting Results
Solar Cooker
Black Base VS No Black Base

WITH BLACK BASE

WITHOUT BLACK BASE

Explaining results
When you changed the black card surface to alfoil what
happened to the maximum and average temperature achieved?
The results showed that with the black card in place the solar cooker
reached a higher temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit and maintained a
higher average temperature of 119.67 degrees Fahrenheit compared to
116.33 degrees Fahrenheit without the black card.

Why did this happen?

On completion of the second test I
completed some research and
discovered that as presumed the
colour black does absorb more heat
that the alfoil alone. This is because
black absorbs all wavelengths of
light and reflects none.

Did the results match your

prediction? If not what was
different?
The results did confirm my
prediction. The results also lead me
to finding the reason as to why the
colour black absorbs larger
amounts of heat compared to any
other colour.

Evaluating the investigation

What problems did you have in
doing this investigation?
Problems that occurred during my
investigation included mainly those of
elements I could not control e.g. weather.
I struggled to find a way that would be
completely fair and equal to test each
design. Without a same degree day that
mimics the conditions of the prior testing
day there may always be an
uncontrollable variable that presents
itself with outdoor testing.

How could your improve this

investigation (fairness,
accuracy)?
Accuracy of this investigation could be
improved by conducting more tests.
Other vairables mentioned could be
applied to the test also to gain a larger
insight into what has affect and what
does not.