TITLE: POLYSTYRENE CONTAINERS
AUTHOR: John Cowens; Greenwood Elementary, La Grande, OR 97850
GRADE LEVEL/SUBJECT: Appropriate for Grades 3-12
OVERVIEW: Have you ever wondered about all those polystyrene
containers the modern hamburger comes in? Do they really work?
How much do they add to the cost of your burger? What happens
to them after you throw them away? The following activity should
stimulate some interest in these high-tech, disposable, containers.
OBJECTIVES: As a result of this activity, students will be able to:
1. Design and carry-out an experiment to test the heat retaining
effectiveness of burger containers.
2. Collect data in the experiment and answer the following questions:
(a) What is the rate of heat loss of each type of container?
(b) Will doubling the container reduce the rate of heat loss by 1/2 ?
MATERIALS/RESOURCES NEEDED:
1. Several brands and types of polystyrene burger containers.
2. Thermometers
3. Heat source to heat water to near boiling
4. Containers for water
ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
1. Exhibit several types of containers in front of the students.
2. Ask students what the function(s) of the containers are.
3. Ask students if they KNOW whether or not they really work.
Instruct them to show proof.
4. Ask students to design experiments to prove how effective these
containers are at preventing heat loss.
5. Carry-out experiments: Have the students report their data on
a large "class data" chart. Class data can be analyzed
determining the mean, median, mode, and range.
6. Ask students to graph the data. On one line, graph the
temperature vs. time (which would show directly the heat loss
rate comparisons.
7. State conclusions, answers to your original questions.
Post Lab Questions:
1. How effective do the containers retain heat? Compare results
with your control.
2. Which container retains heat the best?
3. What effect does doubling or tripling the container have on the
rate of heat loss?
Extensions: Discuss and/or research the following questions:
1. What are the containers made of?
2. How are they made?
3. How much do they cost?
4. Are there any hazards or detriments to the environment caused
by manufacture, use, or disposal of these types of containers?
5. Can you design a better container?
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy Curricular Exchange
Click here to return to OFCN's Academy
Click here to return to OFCN's Main Menu
John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org