Holding Heat Lab 11.10.11
1. Which object held the most thermal energy at the begining of this activity?
The bag of air held the most thermal energy at the begining.
2. Which object absorbed the most thermal energy from the sun/lamp?
Both the bag of air and the bag of water absorbed the same amount of energy.
3. Describe what you observed about each bag after it had been sitting in the sun lamp/sunlight. What has occured?
Both recieved the same amount of energy, but the bag of air's temperature rose. The water in the other bag stayed the same temperature. Condensation and evaporation occured. Radiation heated the bags.
4. Which object retained the most thermal energy from the sun after sitting in the shade?
Both objects recieved the same amount of energy.
5. If the bag of water represents the sun-heated ocean, what does this model show about the effect of warm water currents on coastal areas?
Water currents affect weather and making it warmer, so warm water currents will create warm areas and humidity.
6. If in the conduction in this activity, the metal container had been filled with sun-warmed water, what would have been the flow of thermal energy?
If the container was filled with warm water, then the temperature in the heat wouldn't increase as much. The flow of energy moves from the warmer object to the cooler object, and will only stop when both objects are the same temperature.
7. Why is Galveston, Texas, typically cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter than Houston, Texas?
Since Galveston is near the gulf and the ocean, cool water currents will change the weather and climate at different times of the year than areas more inland.
8. Why do coastal areas typically experience more rainfall than inland areas?
Large bodies of water will make the water cycle occur, and since there is more water in the ocean, there will be more precipitation.
The bag of air held the most thermal energy at the begining.
2. Which object absorbed the most thermal energy from the sun/lamp?
Both the bag of air and the bag of water absorbed the same amount of energy.
3. Describe what you observed about each bag after it had been sitting in the sun lamp/sunlight. What has occured?
Both recieved the same amount of energy, but the bag of air's temperature rose. The water in the other bag stayed the same temperature. Condensation and evaporation occured. Radiation heated the bags.
4. Which object retained the most thermal energy from the sun after sitting in the shade?
Both objects recieved the same amount of energy.
5. If the bag of water represents the sun-heated ocean, what does this model show about the effect of warm water currents on coastal areas?
Water currents affect weather and making it warmer, so warm water currents will create warm areas and humidity.
6. If in the conduction in this activity, the metal container had been filled with sun-warmed water, what would have been the flow of thermal energy?
If the container was filled with warm water, then the temperature in the heat wouldn't increase as much. The flow of energy moves from the warmer object to the cooler object, and will only stop when both objects are the same temperature.
7. Why is Galveston, Texas, typically cooler during the summer and warmer during the winter than Houston, Texas?
Since Galveston is near the gulf and the ocean, cool water currents will change the weather and climate at different times of the year than areas more inland.
8. Why do coastal areas typically experience more rainfall than inland areas?
Large bodies of water will make the water cycle occur, and since there is more water in the ocean, there will be more precipitation.