The “Temperature” Experiment

Thursday (10/06/2010)

a) The thermometer.
We used a thermometer to measure thermometer. As mammals, we have 3 important facts: give birth, feed them with milk and warm-blooded. A human’s normal temperature is 37 degree Celsius. If above, we are having fever and must seek medical help.
Jun Hong: Malaysia’s temperature is 30 degree Celsius.
• 2 kids were picked to measure their temperature. They were Devin and Chia Yen. They squeezed the thermometer using their armpit. Its normal about 37 to 37.5 degree C. Then, they rub their palms very hard and they got warm. We measured again and this time, the temperature rose fast and was higher about 38.
• Ice freeze at 0 degree C. Arctic and Antarctica are even much colder between -20 to the coldest -48 degree C. However, Antarctica is the coldest place in the world.
• During hibernation, many mammals sleep throughout the winter months without eating, passing motion or urinate.
• However, bears are not true hibernators as they sometimes wake up for a while especially because they give birth during winter season. Meanwhile, male bears stay active the whole year round!

b) Ice experiment.
• Yesterday, we froze the water and today we got ice. Now, it looked like a layer of frozen ice just like a skating platform or the one in Arctic and Antarctica. Everyone touched….and “wow…it’s cold!”
• Then, I broke the ice into pieces and I used a small hammer to break the ices. The kids took turn to break it. Of course, it was fun! Then, I placed them into a pot. I prepared 2 plastic bags. They represent the animals’ skin. Plastic “A” has nothing and the kids took turn putting in their hands into it and soaked in the pot of ice. It was COLD!
• Plastic B contained 2 layers of plastic bag with cooking oil in between. I got Qian Joe to assist me. Each kid tested the pot of ice again and “Hey….it’s not cold!”
• WHY? – the oil is the fat as under our skin. Some kids looked at their stomach and tried pinching if they have lots of fat. Hmmm…….nop; so they won’t survive if they go to Arctic or Antarctica unless they wear lots of thick jackets.

c) The melting ice.
• Each grabbed a piece of ice piece at the garden and it melted quite fast under the hot sun. We related it to “Global Warming” and the Arctic animals.
c) Discussion.
• The pole animals need to have thick layer of fat under their skin or they must have thick fur and hair to survive the weather there. Example: the seal, walrus, Polar Bear, wolves and also penguins.