Here are some things to think about as we begin the unit
on change of phase.
If you put a pot of water on the stove and turn it on to
high, about how long does it take for the water to get to
a boil? How long would it take to boil all the water away?
How long would it take for the pot to scorch, burn, or melt,
after all the water is gone? Assuming that the purpose of
the stove is to add energy to the pot at a constant rate, what do your answers
indicate about the amounts of energy required for each step?
When you dampen your wrist, it feels cool. But if it is wetted
with alcohol, it feels really cold. What is the difference?
During the summer, the weatherman mentions the humidity a lot;
during the winter we don't hear about it at all. Why is the
humidity of interest in the summer and not in the winter?
Why does it take so long to thaw a turkey?
As part of your discussion, write something about your answers
to some of these questions -- what you decided, which questions you were
sure of, and which ones
didn't seem to make sense.
As part of your discussion, write something about your answers
to some of these questions -- what you decided, which questions you were
sure of, and which ones
didn't seem to make sense.