Heat & Energy

What students will do

Students observe food dye dispersing through cups of hot, warm and cold water to see how heat drives particle movement, then use a large demonstration thermometer and infrared thermometer to measure temperature. Pairs compare how heat conducts through plastic versus metal plates in contact with ice blocks, and a chemical heat pack demonstrates chemical energy converting to heat. Heat-sensitive sheets reveal insulation at work, and a jumping disc shows stored thermal energy releasing suddenly. The session closes with a whole-group convection demonstration using food dye in layered hot and cold water.

Curriculum outcomes

Victorian Curriculum v2.0 content descriptions addressed in this session.

• VC2S4U09

  Identify different sources of heat energy including chemical, electrical and radiated heat from the sun

• VC2S4U09

  Investigate how heat is transferred through conduction and convection, and measure temperature change using infrared thermometers

• Compare insulators and conductors of heat and distinguish between temperature as a measure and heat as a form of energy transfer