Name: ___________________

Heat Transfer Webquest

This website is designed to help you gain a better understanding of the process of heat transfer.
You need to complete the series of activities outlined below and answer any questions in your
science file (full sentence answers). Have fun!

Go to the website: http://www.wisc-online.com/Objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=SCE304 or if this

fails to load go to www.google.com and type the words “wisc online heat transfer”. Select the
first option from the list that is generated for you. It should look like the picture below.

Click on the button that says ‘next’.

Complete this sentence:
1. Heat _________________ throughout our environment ________________ of the ________________.

2. In our environment, heat transfer is always in what direction? _____________________________

Click on the saucepan icon that says ‘conduction’.

3. What is conduction? _______________________________________________________

Complete this sentence:

4. The better the conductor, _________________________________________________________________

Light the burner.

5. Why did the hand have to be covered by an oven mitt? (try and use the word “transferred” in
your explanation) __________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Complete the following table:

Good Conductors Poor Conductors

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6. What are ‘poor conductors’ also known as? ________________________________________________

Click on the ‘return’ button. From the heat transfer diagram, select the hot air balloon icon that
says ‘convection’.

7. What is convection? ______________________________________________________________________

8. When a gas or liquid warms, what happens to it? ___________________________________________

9. What happens when a gas or liquid cools? __________________________________________________

Light the stove and watch the animation that describes convection. In the space below, draw a
diagram that explains this concept.

10. What are three other examples of convection? ____________________________________________

Click on the ‘return’ button. From the heat transfer diagram, click on the sun icon that says
‘radiation’.

Complete this sentence:

11. When electromagnetic waves travel through space, it is called _____________________. When
electromagnetic waves come into contact with an object, the __________________ transfer the
____________________ to that object.

12. Watch the simulation. Explain how the sun is able to heat the house. _______________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________

13. Write two other examples of radiation heat transfer _______________________________________

Extension:

Go to: http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/keepingwarm.html to participate in a

virtual experiment on heat transfer.

Which material proved to be the best insulator? ______________________________________________

Go to : http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/st8/thermal_loop/# and play Beat the Heat!

END OF WEBQUEST
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