Transfer of energy (heat transfer)
This section covers heat flow methods across material boundaries and the application of these in engineering contexts including:
- conduction
- convection
- radiation
This is something that students have covered at length in both KS3 and KS4 and should be able to explain the theory well. They may need support to match the theory to the practical applications of this, as many believe that eg insulating a house will keep it hotter, rather than that it reduces heat loss.
The operation of heat pumps involving latent heat of fusion and vaporisation will be a new concept to most students, and they may need some time to understand the associated equations.
Heat Loss from Buildings
This engineering resource, produced by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI) for the Royal Academy of Engineering, asks the question: how can the most efficient design be determined, taking both building and running costs into account?
The introduction considers the thermal conductivity of different materials graphically to help decide which material should be used. There follows an explanation of the concept of kilowatt hours. A video accompanies the resource explaining thermal conductivity.
The resource can be used to help students look at bulding design and the types of materials that can be used, and how these choices affect heat loss. The worksheets can be done either in the classroom or for homework to consolidate learning in class.
Steam Pipe Insulation
This resource, from Mathematics for Engineering Exemplars, shows the application of mathematics within the field of mechanical engineering. Here students learn that lack of proper insulation results in large energy losses which, over time, cost a lot of money. Models are used to calculate the value of the critical insulation radius and the radius beyond which the insulation starts to be effective as an insulator.
This would be best used by the teacher as a guidance to help write notes and content for a lesson based on the mathematics of insulation
Ice Melting Blocks Demonstration
In this National Science Learning Network video, Simon Quinnell investigates the way different materials conduct heat using conductivity blocks and ice cubes. The video shows how the ice cubes melt at different rates depending on the thermal conductivity of the materials they are sitting on. Simon explains how this experiment can be used in the school laboratory, what students should observe and the reasons for the unexpected results.
Students could either be shown the video, or more importantly, could replicate the experiment in the lab, going on to explain what they have seen. It could form the basis of an extended investigation
Conduction, Convection, Radiation
A brief overview of each of the methods of heat transfer from the Institute of Physics.
A useful article to give to students to highlight what they already know about the topic and what they did not know, as well as for a stimulus for a discussion on how engineers need to deal with energy transfers, or for teachers to use to help them formualte class notes.
Thermal Transfers
A link to the 'Practical Physics' website from the Institute of Pysics which lists a range of experiments and demonstrations for the different thermal transfers which will help students to visualise the concepts.
These experiments could be carried out either by students or as a demonstration to help illustrate the ways that thermal transfers work.
Latent Heat
A simple page on latent heat, including the heating curve showing phase changes which students will be familar with from KS4. It also includes information on how a heat pipe works.
It can be used either as homework for students, or to support teachers with their planning.
Phase Changes
Information, including worked examples of equations, on latent heat of fusion and vapourisation. This is from the Georgia State University website and looks to be part of an online course, but is very useful in terms of background knowledge for staff
How Heat Pumps Work
A page discussing how heat pumps work from 'Real World Physics Problems'. There is quite a lot of reading here, but the diagrams are useful and help to simplify things a little.
This would be useful for either background reading or as a homework where students have to interpret the information and show their understanding to others.