Unit 9I Energy resources lessons 2/3

Lesson 7I Lesson 2 Comparing fuels

Aim: Make a fair comparison of two different types of fuel.

Key words: Natural gas, ethanol, fair test, reliability, temperature change.

Starter: You will be taking part in a practical to compare the energy output of two different fuels. To begin the lesson you need to prepare a table for recording your results as you will be drawing a graph of these results later in the lesson. We will be data logging which means that you need to make lots of measurements as accurately as you can.

Main: We will be testing two different types of fuel over the next two lessons; they are natural gas (using the Bunsen burners) and ethanol (using a spirit burner). To measure the energy content of the fuel we are going to use that fuel to heat some water in a beaker. You need to think about how we can which of the two fuels has the most energy. You also need to think about how you can make the comparison a fair test (remember what you found out about Thermometers in the previous lessons). We will be heating the water for 10 minutes and recording the temperature of the water every minute.
Once you have recorded your results you also need to plot a temperature/time graph and write a short conclusion (which fuel was the best?).

LA differentiation: Mr C will provide copies of the method for the experiment and a writing frame for the data logging graph (labelled X & Y axis). The reason for this is so students can focus on drawing really clear diagrams of scientific equipment. Students also need to focus on fair testing and how the equipment is set up to ensure a fair test. Students will also draw the table for results.

Plenary: Discussion of today’s practical and a relevant SATs question (at the end of the second lesson).

Homework: None set.

Specification link up – unit Physics 2.13.5
Sc4 5a – energy resources
Sc1.2a – drawing conclusions from data

Unit 9I Energy resources Lesson 1

Why are fuels useful?

Aim: Give two reasons why fuels are useful & learn how to use a thermometer properly.

Key words: Energy, Thermometer, Celsius, Heat, Light, transformed.

Starter: You have probably heard of the word energy and you probably understand that there are several different types of energy; they are electric, elastic, gravitational potential, light, heat, kinetic (movement), sound and chemical. Try out a key word search to familiarise yourself with these terms.
Mr C will show you a diagram on the whiteboard, how many energy types can you identify on the picture?
You also need to know that energy can change from one type to another (in fact it frequently does!) but can never be destroyed.

Main: Using thermometers practical
During this practical you will learn how to use thermometers properly and why it is important to use them in the correct scientific way. You will be using a Bunsen burner to heat a beaker of water and will be using 3 different thermometers to record the temperature at certain time intervals. The thermometers will be placed in different parts of the beaker during heating. The idea is to compare the temperature of different parts of the beaker at different times.
You should find that water in different parts of the beaker have different temperatures.
Why is it important to consider this when conducting scientific experiments?
Answers: Fair test, reliability of results etc.
You should record your results in a table and write a short conclusion to the experiment.

Plenary: A practice SATs question related to Thermometers.

Homework: None set today.

Specification Link up
· Sc4 –5d
· Sc1 2f,g,h,k,m,n