Student Investigative Project (SIP) 2011
Question:
What variables effect the rate at which a hot dog can be cooked in a solar cooker?
To answer this question we actually had to do many different experiments.
The first experiment we conducted was to determine what surface would make a hot dog reach the highest internal temperature.
The results of this experiment were:
We found that a hot dog cooked on a Styrofoam plate reached the hottest internal temperature. We think that the Styrofoam must have absorbed some of the heat from the sun and helped the hot dog reach a hotter internal temperature.
Surface Internal temperature
Styrofoam 123ºF
Glass 122.6ºF
Ceramic 115ºF
Metal 109ºF
Plastic 106ºF
Our second experiment:
Question: Does the color of the plate surface make a difference in how hot the internal temperature of a hot dog reach can reach?
The results of this experiment were:
The color of the styrofoam plate does affect the temperature. We found that if you use a black styrofoam plate the hot dog will get hotter. We know that black attracts heat. We think based on our experiment that white or pink colored plates must not attract as much heat as black plates do.
Color of the Styrofoam Plate Internal temperature
Orange 93.3ºF
Violet 108.4ºF
Black 123.6ºF
Pink 111ºF
Yellow Green 89.3ºF
Brown 106ºF
Red Orange 109ºF
Yellow Orange 126ºF
Green 115ºF
Blue 120ºF
Blue Green 95ºF
Red 100ºF
Blue Violet 112ºF
The results of this experiment were:
The color of the styrofoam plate does affect the temperature. We found that if you use a black styrofoam plate the hot dog will get hotter. We know that black attracts heat. We think based on our experiment that white or pink colored plates must not attract as much heat as black plates do.
Color of the Styrofoam Plate Internal temperature
Orange 93.3ºF
Violet 108.4ºF
Black 123.6ºF
Pink 111ºF
Yellow Green 89.3ºF
Brown 106ºF
Red Orange 109ºF
Yellow Orange 126ºF
Green 115ºF
Blue 120ºF
Blue Green 95ºF
Red 100ºF
Blue Violet 112ºF
Our third experiment was to determine if natural or artificial light would affect the internal temperature of the hot dog cooked in a solar oven.
The results of this experiment were:
Based on the data we gathered, a hot dog cooked in natural light got the hotter. We think that it got hotter in natural light because the heat from the sun surrounds the oven in all directions. If the hot dog is cooked in artificial light, the heat is not surrounding the oven in all directions. Therefore, the hot dog cooked in artificial light did not reach the same internal temperature as the hot dog that was cooked in natural light.
Source of Light Highest Temperature The Hot Dog Got
Natural light 120.0ºF
Artificial Light 78.4ºF
Based on the data we gathered, a hot dog cooked in natural light got the hotter. We think that it got hotter in natural light because the heat from the sun surrounds the oven in all directions. If the hot dog is cooked in artificial light, the heat is not surrounding the oven in all directions. Therefore, the hot dog cooked in artificial light did not reach the same internal temperature as the hot dog that was cooked in natural light.
Source of Light Highest Temperature The Hot Dog Got
Natural light 120.0ºF
Artificial Light 78.4ºF
What we learned out solar ovens
Here are just a few students comments about what we learned...
I think solar oven works with multiple steps. First the heat hits the aluminum foil but since the aluminum foil has mirror a mirror image the heat will bounce off the foil and go into the solar oven. Because we inserted the window on our oven the heat goes inside the solar oven and it is trapped there. The window helps trap the heat. For example. If it is a hot day and if you are in a car with the windows closed you are getting “cooked” just like our hot dogs did. The black construction paper helps absorb the heat so the hot dog will get cooked faster.
Meghna
I think a solar oven works like this... the aluminum foil makes a reflection of the sun and that heats the hotdogs. The plastic gets hot and underneath the heat accumulates. The aluminum foil and the plastic help keep the hotdogs warm. Angie
I think solar oven works with multiple steps. First the heat hits the aluminum foil but since the aluminum foil has mirror a mirror image the heat will bounce off the foil and go into the solar oven. Because we inserted the window on our oven the heat goes inside the solar oven and it is trapped there. The window helps trap the heat. For example. If it is a hot day and if you are in a car with the windows closed you are getting “cooked” just like our hot dogs did. The black construction paper helps absorb the heat so the hot dog will get cooked faster.
Meghna
I think a solar oven works like this... the aluminum foil makes a reflection of the sun and that heats the hotdogs. The plastic gets hot and underneath the heat accumulates. The aluminum foil and the plastic help keep the hotdogs warm. Angie
Click on either of the next two presentations to see how we conducted our experiments. Be patient with the links, sometimes they take some time.
Click here to learn more about solar energy?