Physical Properties

1. PPhhyyssiiccaall
PPrrooppeerrttiieess ooff
MMaatttteerr
Building a House Model-
Conductors
And
Insulators
TEKS 5.5A

2. 55..55 TThhee ssttuuddeenntt kknnoowwss tthhaatt mmaatttteerr hhaass mmeeaassuurraabbllee
pphhyyssiiccaall pprrooppeerrttiieess aanndd tthhoossee pprrooppeerrttiieess ddeetteerrmmiinnee
hhooww mmaatttteerr iiss ccllaassssiiffiieedd,, cchhaannggeedd,, aanndd uusseedd..
The student is expected to . . .
*A. classify matter based on physical properties including
mass, magnetism, physical state (solid, liquid, and gas),
relative density (sinking and floating), solubility in water,
and the ability to conduct or insulate thermal energy, or
electric energy

3. HHeeaatt EEnneerrggyy • Heat moves from areas of high temperature
to areas of low temperature.
• When two bodies of different temperatures
come into contact, they will exchange heat
energy until the temperature of both is
made the same.
• The amount of energy ttrraannssffeerrrreedd is the
amount of heat exchanged.

4. TTeemmppeerraattuurree
• Temperature measures
the physical property of
‘how hot’ or ‘how cold’
material is
• Celsius is the common SI
unit for temperature
measurement. ° C
• Thermometers are the
scientific tools used to
measure temperature.

5. CCoonndduuccttoorrss ooff HHeeaatt
EEnneerrggyy
• Materials that DO transfer heat energy
from higher temperature to lower
temperature areas.
Heat energy flow
****************************************************************************************************************************************************
• Examples
o materials made of metal and glass
Conduction means allowing the transfer of heat
from a higher temperature area to a lower
temperature area.

6. IInnssuullaattoorrss ooff HHeeaatt EEnneerrggyy
• A material that does NOT transfer heat
readily
Heat energy
Insulator
******************************************************************************************************************************
*******
• Examples
o materials made of rubber, wood, cloth
o materials that have air pockets
Insulation means providing a barrier to the flow of
energy, in this case, heat.

7. HHeeaatt iinnssuullaattiioonn iiss aallssoo ccaalllleedd
tthheerrmmaall iinnssuullaattiioonn
The blanket keeps body heat (heat energy) close to the boy.
Heat energy is not transferred into the surrounding air.
The house insulation in the walls and attic will slow down the transfer of heat. In cold weather, inside
a warm house will be warmer than the outside temperature. In hot weather, inside a cool house will
be cooler than the outside temperature.
The styrofoam cup slows down heat transfer. A cold drink in the cup will stay colder than the
surrounding air. A hot drink in the cup will stay hotter than the surrounding air
.

8. PPrraaccttiiccee yyoouurr lleeaarrnniinngg
Conductors
Insulators
• Describe insulators.
conductors.
• Give an example of a
conductor.
• Describe a practical
use of a heat
conductor.
an
insulator.
insulator.

9. HHeeaatt ccoonndduuccttoorrss
aanndd iinnssuullaattoorrss iinn
tthhee cAc clllaaassrossomss mrrodooel oomm

10. Students aarree bbuuiillddiinngg aa mmooddeell ooff aa
hhoouussee uussiinngg aa ccaarrddbbooaarrdd bbooxx aanndd
ootthheerr ccoommmmoonn mmaatteerriiaallss.. TThheeyy wwiillll
tteesstt tthhee iinnssuullaattiinngg pprrooppeerrttiieess ooff
mmaatteerriiaallss tthhaatt ccoouulldd bbee uusseedd iinn tthhee
aattttiicc ooff tthhee mmooddeell..

11. 11.. CChhoooossee tthhee iinnssuullaattiinngg mmaatteerriiaall ttoo uussee iinn
tthhee aattttiicc ooff tthhee mmooddeell tthhaatt wwiillll kkeeeepp tthhee
hhoouussee tthhee ccoooolleesstt..
A. Aluminum
foil
D. Glass plate
C.Styrofoam
B. Metal
screen

12. C.Styrofoam
Correct:
Styrofoam is a good insulator and will not conduct
heat. The styrofoam will not allow much heat
energy from the lamp to transfer to the attic.
Incorrect choices:
Metals, like aluminum and screens, and glass
plates are poor heat insulators, but good heat
conductors. These materials will allow the heat
energy from lamp to transfer to the attic.

13. 2. The primary heat eenneerrggyy ssoouurrccee ffoorr tthhee
mmooddeell hhoouussee ssyysstteemm iiss
A. the classroom window.
B. the lamp when lit.
C. the air in the room.
D. the outside
temperature.

14. Correct: B, the lamp when lit
The lamp when turned on and aimed at the roof of
the model house supplies the heat energy.
Incorrect choices:
A. Classroom window is probably too far from
model.
B. Room temperature air would not provide any
additional heat to the model.
C. Since the model is constructed indoors, the
outside temperature would not affect it.

15. 3. Materials aarree ccoonnssiiddeerreedd hheeaatt iinnssuullaattoorrss
wwhheenn tthheeyy
A. change heat to light.
B. transfer heat energy easily.
C. make their own heat.
D. help block the transfer of heat.

16. Correct: D, when they block the transfer of heat
Materials that are insulators do not let heat energy pass
through them easily.
Incorrect choices:
A. Heat energy is not being changed to light.
B. Materials that are heat conductors let this form
of energy pass through them easily.
C. Insulators are not the source of heat energy.

17. 44. . Which statement bbeesstt ddeessccrriibbeess tthhee
ccaarrddbbooaarrdd hhoouussee mmooddeell??
A. The model is built to demonstrate
electric conductors.
B. The model shows materials students
should not use.
C. Melting of the model house is a safety
problem.
D. In the natural world, solar energy
would provide the heat.

18. SSuunn aanndd ssoollaarr eenneerrggyy
Incorrect choices:
A. The purpose of building the model is to test
materials for heat insulation not electricity
conduction.
B. The materials are appropriate for student
use.
C. If safety rules are not observed, burning,
not melting, could be a problem.

19. 55.. WWhhiicchh aattttiicc mmaatteerriiaall iinnssuullaatteedd tthhee mmooddeell
hhoouussee bbeesstt??
Attic materials
tested
Thermometer
readings
Aluminum foil 35ºC
Metal screen 30ºC
Styrofoam 20ºC
Glass plates 25ºC
A thermometer placed on
the roof reads 35º C.
A. Aluminum foil
B.Metal screen
C. Styrofoam
D.Glass plates
A second thermometer is
placed inside the house.

20. Correct: C, styrofoam
The temperature readings with the thermometer placed
inside the house indicated when styrofoam was used as
insulation the temperature was 20ºC-the lowest
recorded temperature. Materials that are insulators do
not let heat energy pass through them easily.
Incorrect choices:
All the other materials had recorded temperatures of higher
than 20º C. The best insulator should keep the inside of the
house the coolest (the lowest temperature). 20º was also
lower than the temperature of the heat from the lamp as
recorded with the roof thermometer.