This experiment tested which coffee cup maintains liquid temperature most steadily over 30 minutes. The author hypothesized the stainless steel mug would perform best due to being a better heat conductor than paper or plastic. Temperature was measured every 5 minutes for water in paper, plastic, and metal cups. The paper cup showed the greatest temperature decrease of 1.26°C per minute, while plastic decreased 1.13°C and metal 1.06°C, validating the hypothesis. Metal performed best by trapping heat through its vacuum seal and greater conductivity.

1. By Natasha Wood
15101189
Tuesday 10-1

2.  This experiment has been done to determine
which coffee cup keeps the temperature of the
liquid most stable.

3.  I hypothethise that the stainless steel mug will
keep the Liquid the hottest and that the paper
cup will lose heat the quickest. This is due to
the fact that stainless steel is a better conductor
of heat.

4.  Independent Variable: Coffee Cups
 Dependent Variables: Temperature of the
liquid.
 Controlled Variables: Time, outside
temperature, amount of liquid used, starting
temperature, using the same coffee cups for
repeat trials, thermometers & type of liquid.

5.  Coffee cups
 Measuring cup
 Thermometers
 Paper &pen
 Hot Water
 Kettle

6.  1) Set up cups, thermometers, kettle and recorded
outside temperature.
 2) Boiled the Kettle.
 3) Measure water temperature.
 4) Measure out ½ cup of water and distribute to
each cup.
 5) Put thermometer in cup and screw on the lid.
 6) Measure temperature every 5 minutes.
 7) Repeat steps 1-6, 2 times.
 8) Average and graph results.

7. Plastic Paper Metal
1 2 3 Avg 1 2 3 Avg 1 2 3 Avg
Start 86⁰C 86⁰C 86⁰C 86 86⁰C 86⁰C 86⁰C 86 86⁰C 86⁰C 86⁰C 86
5min 69 72 74 69 65 70 72 71 70 76 78 74
s
10mi 64 65 70 64 62 62 68 66 65 68 74 69
n
15mi 60 61 65 58 55 56 63 61 61 64 70 65
n
20mi 55 58 60 55 52 54 60 57 57 61 66 61
n
25mi 53 54 56 51 48 49 57 54 54 56 62 57
n
30mi 50 52 54 48 45 47 54 52 51 54 58 54
n

8.  The paper cup was the worst performer,
resulting in a temperature drop of 1.26 C per
minute over the 30 minute period.
 The temperature of the liquid within the plastic
cup dropped at a rate of 1.13 C per minute.
 The metal cup gave the best results with a drop
of only 1.06 C per minute.

10.  The paper cup was the worst performer
because paper is a poorer insulator when
compared to plastic and metal (Dawson &
Venville, 2007).
 Metal is a more efficient due to the fact that the
vacuum seal traps the heat within the cup and
metal is a greater heat conductor than plastic
(Kutz, 1968).

11. Dawson, V., &Venville, G.(Eds.). (2007). The art
of teaching primary science. Crows Nest, NSW:
Allen & Unwin.
Kutz, M. (1968). Temperature Control.
Sydney, NSW: John Wiley &Sons, Inc.