MYP III Physics
Convection Current Lab
Essential Question: How does heat flow?
Goal: Investigate convection currents as a method of heat transfer by observing the movement
of hot and cold water in a controlled environment.
ATL Communication Skills (HC13): Make inferences and draw conclusions
Pre Lab Questions
1. Please give a brief description of the three ways that heat is transferred.
Radiation Convection Conduction
Indicate which type of heat transfer is happening during each scenario.
2. Accidentally putting your hand on a hot stove, burning your hand
Answer:
3. Laying outside getting an awesome tan and you start to sweat and heat up.
Answer:
4. Solar panels collecting sunlight to turn into electrical energy.
Answer:
5. A hot air balloon heating the air inside the balloon and rising up into the air.
Answer:
Hypothesis: YOU HAVE TO ADD “BECAUSE…….”
If we add Red dye to hot water it will ___________ and if we add Blue dye to cold water it will ________
because:
Lab Directions
1. Please use four of the six glass beakers and place them under the four corners of the tupperware,
creating a table where the beakers are the legs.
2. CAREFULLY fill the the tupperware with room temperature water. (If the water moves around too much
the tupperware could tip over).
3. When you water table is complete, please show your teacher. I will bring over the cold and water to start
the lab.
MYP III Physics
4. We will place a beaker of hot water (CAUTION: VERY HOT WATER) under one end, then ice cold water
under the other.
5. Let it sit for 30 seconds then add red food coloring above the hot beaker and blue food coloring above
the cold beaker.
6. Observe what happens to each color. RECORD YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE TABLE.
Observation of Blue (Cold) Observation of Red (Hot)
Please draw a SIDE VIEW of what is happening to the food coloring at the heat transfers throughout the
water.
Post Lab Questions
1. What type of heat transfer did we create?
2. Why did the Red spread faster than the Blue? (Mention the movement of molecules)
3. Was your hypothesis SUPPORTED or NOT SUPPORTED based on the data and WHY it was
or was not supported.
4. Where do CONVECTION currents naturally occur?
MYP III Physics
MYP III Physics
Self-Evaluation Rubric: Communication Skills (HC13) - Make
Inferences and Draw Conclusions
Explanation
Check the
(Provide a short
Level Description box that
reflection on your
applies
choice)
I find it difficult to make clear inferences and
conclusions from my observations. My
1-2:
Emerging
explanations about heat transfer methods and ☐
real-world examples are unclear or
incomplete.
I can make some inferences and conclusions,
3-4: but they may not always be clear or well-
Developing connected. I provide real-world examples, but
☐
my explanations need more detail and depth.
I make clear and mostly accurate inferences
5-6: and conclusions based on my observations. I
Proficient can connect heat transfer methods to real-
☐
world examples with logical reasoning.
I make insightful and well-supported
inferences and conclusions. I provide detailed
7-8:
Excellent
and thoughtful real-world connections, ☐
showing a strong understanding of heat
transfer methods.
MYP III Physics
Convection Current Lab
Essential Question: How does heat flow?
Pre Lab Questions
1. Please give a brief description of the three ways that heat is transferred.
Radiation Convection Conduction
Through Air/Space. Heat transfer based off of Heat transfer through direct
Electromagnetic waves densities of hot and cold fluids. contact of objects. Particle and
molecular vibration increase heat
and average kinetic energy
(temperature)
Indicate which type of heat transfer is happening during each scenario.
2. Accidentally putting your hand on a hot stove, burning your hand
Answer: Conduction
3. Laying outside getting an awesome tan and you start to sweat and heat up.
Answer: Radiation
4. Solar panels collecting sunlight to turn into electrical energy.
Answer: Radiation
5. A hot air balloon heating the air inside the balloon and rising up into the air.
Answer: Convection
Hypothesis: YOU HAVE TO ADD “BECAUSE…….”
If we add Red dye to hot water it will ___________ and if we add Blue dye to cold water it will ________
because:
Student needs to read the lab directions then create a hypothesis based off of how the food coloring will
spread above the different temperatures of water
Lab Directions
1. Please use four of the six glass beakers and place them under the four corners of the tupperware,
creating a table where the beakers are the legs.
2. CAREFULLY fill the the tupperware with room temperature water. (If the water moves around too much
the tupperware could tip over).
3. When you water table is complete, please show Mr. Mahl. I will bring over the cold and water to start the
lab.
4. We will place a beaker of hot water (CAUTION: VERY HOT WATER) under one end, then ice cold water
under the other.
5. Let it sit for 30 seconds then add red food coloring above the hot beaker and blue food coloring above
the cold beaker.
6. Observe what happens to each color. RECORD YOUR OBSERVATIONS IN THE TABLE.
MYP III Physics
Observation of Blue (Cold) Observation of Red (Hot)
Please draw a SIDE VIEW of what is happening to the food coloring at the heat transfers throughout the
water.
Post Lab Questions
1. Lets start easy here folks. What type of heat transfer did we create?
Conduction
2. Why did the Red spread faster than the Blue? (Mention the movement of molecules)
Read spread faster due to increased entropy and kinetic energy of heated molecules. Blue (cold) does
not spread as fast because of the low kinetic energy and entropy.
3. Was your hypothesis SUPPORTED or NOT SUPPORTED based on the data and WHY it was
or was not supported.
Student needs to use data (observations) from the lab to support or not support their hypothesis.
4. Where do CONVECTION currents naturally occur?
Hadley Cells and atmospheric convection cells.
Plate Tectonics and convection cells within the mantle of the Earth.
