What Works Best in a Radiator?
Students learn the importance of heat transfer and heat conductance. Using hot plates, student groups measure the temperature change of a liquid over a set time period and use the gathered data to calculate the heat transfer that occurs. Then, as if they were engineers, students pool their results to discuss and determine the best fluid to use in a car radiator.
Choosing an appropriate coolant fluid, based on properties of heat transfer, is one aspect of designing engine radiators.Copyright 2009 Fir0002/Flagstaffotos, Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Engine_coolant.jpg
Heat is a concept that is used throughout most all engineering fields. It is particularly important for civil, mechanical and chemical engineers, for which heat transfer plays an important role in material selection, machinery efficiency and reaction kinetics, respectively. In this activity, students play the role of engineers by measuring and determining the best fluid for cooling a car's engine.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Explain the process of conduction as it relates to heating a liquid.
- Use their experimental findings to perform calculations.
- Explain why certain specific heat capacities are desirable in fluids used as heat exchangers.