Solar Cooker

What Homemade Cooker Heats up a Thermometer the Best

I am making a homemade solar cooker to increase the temperature of a thermometer. I have a box with plastic wrap on the opening with the flaps open. When I am done testing that part, I will put tin foil on the flaps of the box so it reflects the heat from the heat lamp. My hypothesis is that the box with tin foil on the flaps of the box will get a hotter reaction because of the reflection. I chose this topic because I thought it would be a fun and creative thing to do. I also like it so much I’ll do it again.

I made the cooker by taping cling wrap over the opening. Next after measuring the temperature of the cooker without tin foil. Finally I put tin foil over the flaps of the box so the heat lamp reflects the heat off the tin foil.

There was a starting temperature of 72 degrees F. After holding a heat lamp above the cling wrap for 15 minutes, the ending temperature is 86 degrees F for the homemade cooker with only the plastic wrap on to of it and not using foil. That's what happens first and now the one with the tin foil.

Our second step of the experiment is to measure the temperature of the thermometer with plastic cling wrap on the opening of the box and the tin foil on the flabs of the box. In the box there was a starting temperature of 72 degrees F. After a heat lamp above the cling wrap and tin foil on the flaps for 15 minutes, the ending temperature is 87 degrees F for the homemade cooker. The difference

I learned that heat can be more than just heat it is in everything. My hypothesis was correct because the tin foil on the flaps of the box reflected the light from the heat lamp. The difference was 1 degree higher by the tin foil. Something could be wrong by not recording the temperature the best or setting the wrong time for the thermometer to warm up. Overall my experiment was accurate. I could improve my experiment by doing it again so I can make sure it is accurate. I could build a better cooker by getting 2 heat lamps to see the difference.

Conclusion

My hypothesis was right. I think this experiment was a little accurate because there can be a stronger heat lamp or something would have happened in measuring the starting temperature and the ending temperature.

• • I made a box with cling wrap on the opening

  • Next I held a heat lamp over top of the box for 15 minutes

  • After that I took the temperature

  • Then I put tin foil on the flaps of the box so it would reflect the heat onto the thermometer

  • I held the lamp over the box again

  • And I took the temperature

  • Finally I averaged up the temperatures

Hypothesis

I think the design with tin foil on the flaps will heat up the best.

Problem

What design will heat up a thermometer the best.

My Board

Data Table