To find the relationship between surface area to volume ratio and how this effects heat loss

Aim

Our aim is to find out the surface area to volume ration effects on animals heat loss in real life.  As we are unable to use animals to carry out the experiment we have to use the best models of animals we have, which is test tubes.  We will use many different sized test tubes to represent different sized animals.

Apparatus

Proposed method

• Firstly I am going to set up the (method) apparatus as shown in the diagram.

• Fill all test tubes to the brim with water heat and then heat to 70

• I will measure the water temperature of every test tube every minute.

• The experiment will last for 20 minutes.  Because of the heat of the water we will have to wear protective glasses.

• To prevent a mess being made paper towels will be placed under the stand and also on the surrounding area.

• All results then will be recorded in the results table.

Prediction

I predict that the smaller the surface to volume ratio the quicker the rate loss will be, because the test tube wall will be thinner than the bigger test tubes and also the bigger test tubes have a small surface to volume ratio.

Results 1

Evaluation

        It would be a fair statement to say that the smaller the surface area to volume ratio is the test tube the quicker it would loose heat.   All of my results followed a certain pattern; they lost heat according to the size of the test tube, the bigger the test tube the less heat lost and the smaller the test tube the more heat lost.  My proposed method worked for the experiment.  I followed my instructions in my method closely and I think that overall my experiment was successful.  The results were almost accurate, there was a few odd results.  The reasons for this could be that we were sometimes a few seconds late reading the thermometer.  There were few problems faced during this experiment, the main problem was the fact we had tinfoil over the top of the tube, and to make the reading we had to move the thermometer up therefore causing the temprature to rise (heat rises).  If I had the option to repeat the experiment I would probably use more sized test tubes to get more accurate results table.  I would also complete the experiment on the same day, to reduce the chance of room temprature changing.