Thermal Insulation
Q1.
A student investigated the properties of three insulating materials.
Figure 1 shows the apparatus the student used.
Figure 1
 
In the investigation, different insulating materials were used to insulate a metal can filled with hot water.
Figure 2 shows how the temperature measured by the thermometer changed over 25 minutes for each of the materials.
Figure 2
 
(a)     What was the temperature of the room where the student carried out the investigation?
Tick one box.
 
20 °C		38 °C		53 °C		80 °C		
(1)
(b)     Material C has the highest thermal conductivity.
How does the graph in Figure 2 show this?
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(1)
(c)     Another student repeated the investigation using the equipment shown in Figure 3.
Figure 1 shows the first set of equipment used.
Figure 1                                       Figure 3
 
Suggest how using the equipment in Figure 3 will have affected the student's results.
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(2)
(d)     The students could have used a temperature probe and datalogger instead of a thermometer.
Figure 4 shows the datalogger screen and the thermometer.
Figure 4
 
Complete the sentences.
Choose the answers from the box.
 
higher	lower	the same	
Compared to the thermometer, the datalogger and temperature probe have
a resolution that is ____________________ .
Compared to the thermometer, the chance of misreading the datalogger and
temperature probe is ____________________ .
(2)
(e)     The table gives information about four types of insulation that could be used in the walls of houses.
 
Type of insulation	Thermal conductivity in W/m °C	
Felt wool	0.070	
Mineral wool	0.040	
Polyurethane foam	0.030	
Rock wool	0.045	
Which type of insulation would be most effective in reducing the rate of cooling of a building?
Tick one box.
 
Felt wool		
Mineral wool		
Polyurethane foam		
Rock wool		
Give a reason for your answer.
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(2)
(Total 8 marks)