Arushi Sinha Coordinated Sciences B

TITLE: Why do Penguins Huddle?

AIM: The aim of the experiment is to investigate whether the huddling behaviour of the
emperor penguins helps to conserve heat. To carry out this investigation, I will be
using test tubes with 10 ml of water heated at 60°C to represent individual penguins
and I will measure the decrease in temperature of water in each circular layer of test
tubes within a specified period of time (360 seconds in this case). I will arrange the
test tubes in a circular formation with one test tube in the centre surrounded by
increasing layers of test tubes in a circular arrangement around it to perform my
experiment.

HYPOTHESIS:
I think that as the number of test tubes in the arrangement increases, there will be
less heat loss in the centre most test tube. I expect the relationship between time and
and the temperature decrease in each circular layer of test tubes to be inversely
proportional. This is because the surrounding test tubes will provide insulation to the
innermost test tube, preventing the heat from escaping. The arrangement of the test
tubes will also determine the amount of heat loss in each circular layer. So the outer
most layer will have the highest decrease in temperature because the test tubes will
be exposed to the surrounding temperature whereas the inner ones will have a
comparatively lower amount of heat loss.
Temperature (°C)

Time (s)

VARIABLES:
Independent Variable: The number of penguins (test tubes) huddled together
(1, 7, 17)
Dependent Variable: Amount of heat loss/decrease in temperature (°C)
Controlled Variables:
VARIABLE HOW WHY

Volume of hot water Use a measuring cylinder to The same volume of hot water
inside each test tube measure 10 ml of hot water for ensures that the temperature stays
each test tube constant throughout the liquid and
therefore throughout the test tube.
Arushi Sinha Coordinated Sciences B

VARIABLE HOW WHY

Temperature of the Use a kettle to heat up the water
liquid inside the test to 60°C. (Tip: heat it up a little
tubes at the beginning higher so that we can start
of the experiment measuring the heat loss when
the temperature goes down to
60°C)
If there are different temperatures of
water in each test tube, the amount
of thermal energy present is also
different. Therefore the amount of
heat lost will also be different.

Length of Time Use a stopwatch to time the
experiment and record the
results only when it reaches the
specified time of 6 minutes (360
seconds)
To study the effect of heat loss
through conduction in penguins, it
is important to keep time a fixed
constant so that the test tubes which
represent penguins do not loose
extra heat

Equipment used Use the same equipment so that
the thickness, width and other
aspects of it stay consistent in
all the trials.
This is because a thicker test tube
causes less of heat loss as compared
to a thinner test tube. Similarly, a
wider test tube will have uneven
levels of liquid even though the
measured quantity is the same and
this will affect the result of the
experiment.

EQUIPMENT AND DIAGRAM:

EQUIPMENT QUANTITY

Test Tube 25

Kettle 1

Beaker 2×50 ml
1×140 ml

Rubber Bands 6

Tongs 1

Measuring Cylinder 1×10 ml

Water total: 250 ml

Stopwatch 3

Thermometers 6

METHOD:
1) Set up the equipment as shown in the diagram above. Take one test tube, tie two
rubber bands around it, and place it in a 50 ml beaker marked as “beaker A”. Now
Arushi Sinha Coordinated Sciences B

take another set of seven test tubes. Arrange them with one in the centre and the
other six surrounding it in a cluster. Tie them together using two more rubber
bands and place in a 50 ml beaker marked as “beaker B”. Take the last seventeen
test tubes and arrange such that there is one in the centre surrounded by six more
and then eleven in the outermost layer. Tie with the last two rubber bands and
place in a 140 ml beaker marked as “beaker C”. Place a stopwatch in front of
each beaker.
2) Heat 100 ml of water in the kettle till the temperature reaches a little higher than
60°C (place a thermometer in the water occasionally to keep track of the
temperature) and keep it aside.
3) Use the measuring cylinder to measure exactly 10 ml of the heated water and pour
this into each of the test tubes which are in beaker A and B using tongs.
4) Place a thermometer in the test tube in beaker A and name it ‘A’. Place another in
the innermost test tube of beaker B, named ‘B’ with one more thermometer in one
of the test tubes surrounding it, named ‘C’. There should be one thermometer in
beaker A and two in beaker B.
5) Start the respective stopwatches when the temperature readings indicate 60°C in
each of the thermometers.
6) Note the temperature reading in the results table after 360 seconds by bending
down and matching your eye level to the number alongside the end of the mercury
(red) line.
7) Heat 200 ml of water in the kettle till the temperature reaches a little higher than
60°C (place a thermometer in the water occasionally to keep track of the
temperature) and keep it aside.
8) Use the measuring cylinder to measure exactly 10 ml of the heated water and pour
this into each of the test tubes which are in beaker C using tongs.
9) Take three thermometers and place one in each of the circular layers of the
arrangement of test tubes and name them ‘D’, ‘E’ and ‘F’ starting from the
innermost layer.
10) Repeat steps 5 and 6 for beaker C.

RESULTS:

The data table showing the decrease in temperature and rate of heat loss in each circular layer of
test tubes when varying the number of ‘penguins’ huddled together

Number of Test Tubes Temperature (°C)

(penguins) Huddled
Together Inner Middle Outer

1 47

7 55 52

17 57 55 54

GRAPH: [attached on a separate sheet]

Arushi Sinha Coordinated Sciences B

CONCLUSION:

My graph indicates the drop in the temperature of test tubes A, B, C, D, E and F in a span of
360 seconds, all of which are a decreasing graph line. The graph line of test tube A shows the
maximum decrease in gradient of 0.036 after a temperature reduction from 60°C to 47°C. In
contrast, the minimum decrease in gradient of test tube D amounted to 0.008, the temperature
reduced by only 3°C. Since test tube A was the one which was left by itself in beaker A, the sharp
decrease in temperature was as expected because it was exposed from all sides and open at the top.
Test tube D however was insulated by two more layers of test tubes with test tube E in the middle
layer and F in the outermost layer. Within beakers, the maximum heat loss occurred in the test tubes
in the outermost circular layer of the arrangement because they were exposed from one side. The
least amount of heat loss occurred in the innermost test tube. This can be seen clearly on the graph
where innermost test tubes B and D have a low gradient and small decrease in temperature
compared to the others.

Although there are no anomalous data points, there are still a few errors in the data which
makes it a little unreliable. Firstly, when pouring the hot water from the kettle into each individual
test tube, the temperature of the water can fluctuate with each test tube reaching 60°C at different
times. This causes slight differences of one or two degrees in each of the test tubes which has to be
overlooked in order to start the stopwatch as soon as one of the test tubes with the thermometer
reaches 60°C. We are making the assumption here that all the other test tubes in that particular ring
will be at the same temperature. To overcome this problem, we require more stopwatches,
thermometers and people to note the time for each test tube.

To properly investigate the huddling of penguins to conserve heat, the test tubes should have
been sealed from the top by a rubber or cork stopper. This would not allow excessive heat loss from
the opening of the test tube and would only cause the heat loss from the sides of the test tubes.

Heat loss occurs when the heated particles with more energy mingle with the surrounding
particles which have less energy. This results in heat spreading in the surrounding area to reduce the
temperature difference between the two areas. In this process, the temperature of the hotter
substance reduces and it continues to go on until an equable temperature is attained. The data and
the graph are consistent with this theory of heat loss, supporting my hypothesis.

EVALUATION:

From the experiment, I can clearly conclude that my data supports my hypothesis because as
the number of test tubes (penguins) huddling together increases, the amount of heat loss in the
innermost test tube decreases. This is until the point where the only method of heat loss is through
the opening at the top and not through the sides of the test tube, as I had predicted.

The reliability of the method is dependent on the condition of the materials used for the
experiment. One of the major factors which affected the outcome of the experiment was the
accuracy of a thermometer. The thermometers we used in this experiment only showed temperature
readings to the nearest degree. To find a clearer value for the amount of heat loss, a digital
thermometer would have provided us with a value in decimals (to the nearest tenth). A more
accurate temperature reading will help us to better understand the effect of penguin huddling to
conserve heat.
Arushi Sinha Coordinated Sciences B

To carry out the investigation, it is important to heat greater quantity of water than what is
actually required, to accommodate for scope of spilling while pouring the water in the test tubes and
also for evaporation during the heating process.

Conserving heat, especially in areas such as Antarctica where the temperatures can reach as
low as -40°C, is a method of survival. By huddling, penguins share heat between themselves,
keeping each other warm to survive the cold. As we investigated in the experiment, huddling will
keep the penguins at the centre of the group the warmest while the surrounding penguins provide
insulation to the penguins in the inner circle, preventing the heat from escaping. The arrangement of
the penguins will also determine the amount of heat loss in each circular layer. So the outermost
layer of test tubes, in our experiment, will experience the largest decrease in temperature because
the test tubes will be exposed to the surrounding temperature whereas the inner ones will have a
comparatively lower amount of heat loss. The penguins also rotate by moving to different layers of
the arrangement to share the heating experience and make it ‘fair’ for all.

For further inquiry, I would like to conduct this experiment using a rubber or cork stopper to
seal the top of the test tubes, in which case, I would note the initial temperature of the water in the
test tube and seal it and then note the drop in the temperature after a specified time has elapsed. This
would clearly show how much heat is being lost through the sides of the test tube and would better
relate to the issue we are investigating: Why do penguins huddle?