Thermal Physics Task-3 MYP - 4

Unit: Thermal Physics

Topic: Heat transfer
Global Context: Fairness and development
Key Concept: Change
Related Concept: Consequences, Energy, Transformation
ATL skills: Thinking, communication
Learner’s Profile: Thinkers, Communicators
SOI: Human life has been completely changed and developed through the use of machines that
are created to transform energy and do useful work.
Criterion D: Reflecting on the impacts of science
Task: Design and build a solar oven using principles of heat transfer and investigate factors
affecting its efficiency.
Discuss the following points
 The materials utilized and their roles in the construction of the solar oven.
 Types of insulation, and the size of the cooking chamber.
 Reflect on their design choices and consider improvements for future iterations of the
solar oven.
Materials:
Black paper
Shoebox
Aluminum foil
Ruler
Stick
Plastic Wrap
Tape
Chocolate
Biscuit
Every oven needs a source of energy to cook or melt food; some use electricity, some use fuels
like gas, but all ovens convert energy into heat. The sun provides the energy for our solar oven.
Light is one of the main forms of energy produced by the Sun. It takes around eight minutes for
light from the Sun to reach Earth. The light hits our solar oven when it gets to Earth. Light may
enter our oven by the hole at the top, and additional light that would otherwise miss the entry can
be reflected into the oven by the angled flap coated in aluminum foil. Radiation is created when
light enters the oven and transforms into molecules of air.

A shoebox is used as the primary structural element

for the cooking chamber when designing and
constructing a solar oven. The oven produces a
greenhouse effect since the shoebox offers a little area
for heat to build up. Aluminum foil is used to insulate
the shoeboxes inside surfaces. The foil's reflective
quality keeps heat from escaping while directing
sunlight into the cooking chamber. Plastic wrap
functions as a translucent covering that traps heat
within while letting sunlight in. Using tape guarantees
a tight closure, keeping air from escaping and the
temperature inside the solar oven constant. When the oven reaches a temperature that is hot
enough to cook, the chocolates that are placed on top of the biscuits melt. Aluminum foil is used
as insulation because of its ability to reflect light, which helps to effectively focus sunlight into
the cooking chamber. In contrast, the plastic wrap acts as a barrier to prevent air leakage, keeping
the interior warm. The cooking chamber's size is very important since it affects the oven's
efficiency. To retain heat longer, it's important to find a compromise between the size of the area
needed to fit the chocolates and biscuits. In order to optimize sunlight collection, careful
consideration must be given to the angle and placement of the reflecting surface while making
design decisions. Future versions could investigate other insulating materials to increase
effectiveness. Such versions can include Aerogel, which is expensive but the best type of
insulator. Further testing with various cooking chamber sizes and shapes might improve the
performance of the solar oven even further. The solar oven may be easily adjusted to catch
sunlight at a better angle by using a stick to prop it open. The design will be updated for better
functionality and efficiency in using solar energy for cooking through regular testing and
observation.
The chocolate on the biscuit successfully melted in our homemade solar oven, demonstrating that
both the experiment and the oven were constructed well. Our chocolate with the black paper at
the bottom melted in about forty minutes.
Thermaxx Jackets. (2021, October 20). 5 Most Common Thermal Insulation Materials.

Thermaxxjackets.com; Thermaxx, LLC. https://blog.thermaxxjackets.com/5-most-

common-thermal-insulation-materials#:~:text=Aerogel%20is%20more%20expensive%2C

%20but,effective%2C%20but%20hard%20to%20apply.

The Sci Guys. (2015). The Sci Guys: Science at Home - SE3 - EP 14: Pizza Box Solar Oven

S’mores [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjsrRi2Bxl0