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How to Measure Thermal Conductivity of Fluids Containing Oxide

Oxides are one type of the innumerable compounds found in the universe. Measuring the thermal conductivity of fluids containing oxides does not have to be difficult. Two examples of oxides that can be found in liquids include carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Carbon dioxide is put into water to make carbonated beverages, and nitrious oxide is a pollutant found in rainwater. Using rainwater, carbonated water, distilled water, a heat lamp and thermometers, the thermal conductivity of oxide-containing fluids can be measured.

Things You'll Need

  • Carbonated water
  • Distilled water
  • Large container
  • 4 glass bottles
  • Heat lamp
  • 4 thermometers
  • Paper with two columns
  • Pencil
  • Timer
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Instructions

  1. Carbonated Water Versus Distilled Water

    • 1

      Chill both the distilled and carbonated water in the refrigerator for an hour.

    • 2

      Set up a heat lamp.

    • 3

      Pour carbonated water into one of the four bottles. Pour the same amount of distilled water into a second bottle

    • 4

      Put the two bottles under the heat lamp. Every 10 minutes, over a period of an hour, take the temperature of each bottle, using a separate thermometer for each bottle.

    • 5

      Write the temperatures of the carbonated water in one column and the temperatures of the regular water in an adjacent column. Compare the two columns to see which heats up faster and which heats up more slowly.

    Rainwater Versus Distilled Water

    • 6

      Collect rainwater from a highly trafficked area with the large container. Chill it and the distilled water in the refrigerator for an hour.

    • 7

      Place some rainwater in a clear glass bottle. Place the same amount of distilled water in another glass bottle.

    • 8

      Set both bottles under the heat lamp. Every 10 minutes, over a time frame of an hour, take the temperature of each kind of water, using a different thermometer for each. In one column write the temperatures of the rainwater and in another column write the temperatures of the distilled water.

    • 9

      Compare the two columns to see which kind of water heats up faster and which is slower to heat up.

    • 10

      Compare the results of the carbonated water test with the results of the rainwater test.

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