Heat Is A Conductor

The 4th graders are learning about Birds. We will be doing lots of activities involving Birds. We learned the importance of not using metal to build a birdhouse. We studied that metal is a conductor of heat and it can burn a bird when set out in the sun. We did an experiment to understand how fast heat and travel from one object to another.

 Use a candle and light a smaller candle.

Using the smaller candle, drop wax on a source of metal (we used a knife).

Let the wax cool. What will happen when the knife is over the larger candle?

The wax begins to melt as the knife is placed over the candle. The heat is transfered from the flame to the knife. The knife is heating up which is making the wax on top of the knife melt. The knife was very hot after being over the flame for a few seconds!

We learned that heat in many forms can cause a surface to have warmth. After this experiment, the students realized that metal would not be a good material to build their birdhouses.

Denis loved the experiment and is eager to build his birdhouse!! We will start building our birdhouses after the break!!