Insulation investigation

An image showing a heatmap of a person in a jacket

Source: © Tomorrow Lab LLC

Which material makes the warmest jacket? Investigate the insulating properties of various materials with this activity for ages 7–14

Textile technology is a fast developing area of material science. Many of our students will own smart textiles, from Teflon coated school shirts designed to repel stains, to socks enhanced with silver nanoparticles preventing smells. Use the smart textile context to investigate the insulating properties of various materials and determine which material makes the warmest jacket. This activity can be used alongside teaching thermal insulation in physics, with a science club or as an activity to generate and evaluate data.

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