Heat Insulators

In the experiment exploring heat transfer, I used four identical mugs, four rubber bands, a four-cup measuring cup, and the microwave. The insulators I decided on were a chamois cloth, freezer baggie, printer paper, and heavy-duty foil. I chose these thinking they would be close because of the thickness of material. I hypothesized that the aluminum foil would be the best insulator. I found two comparative results in my experiment. I first used the microwave to individually heat up each cup, but they did not come out to be the same temperature. I had to start over and use the four cup measuring cup to get them all the same temp. I did the experiment three times. I discovered the paper and plastic were close in comparison when temperatures were taken with an average of 84 degrees F, as well as the foil and the chamois cloth with an average of 98 degrees F. I found my hypothesis was true the foil was a better insulator three out of three tries. However, I noted that the chamois cloth was the same temperature as the foil two out of three tries. This knowledge assist in recognizing the chamois and foil are both good insulators for heat transfer during the cooling process (Tillery, Enger, & Ross, 2008 p.83).
Observations I noted on each time I checked the experiment was the chamois cloth would absorb the condensation from the molecules that had been evaporated in contrast to the foil and plastic which collected the condensation on the insulator. I had expected the chamois to trap more heat than the paper; however, I had not expected it to insulate as well as the foil. I realize the thickness of the cloth assisted in the insulation for this experiment, and the types of insulator used affect heat transfer.
I specifically want students to learn the differences in conduction, convection, and radiation. I think I now understand it better since I teach seventh grade Life science. When I had to write it in my response for class, I had to be able to understand it. I think this is a good experiment to get the students to understand the differences and I think I reached my goal to understand them. I would like student s to be able to connect this information to their everyday life whether they are cooking, trying to keep food from spoiling, taking a trip to friends; I think understanding the differences in the insulators and how heat is transferred will assist them in taking care of personal needs.
I concluded there were three types of heat transferring energies in this experiment starting with conduction where the water particles respond to other particles in the cups and insulators where heat transferred to the solid. The second came as convection happening in gases and liquids only rolling the molecules that are cohesive (Tillery, Enger, & Ross, 2008 p. 77). The third type of heat transfer was radiation happening in the empty space between the water and the insulator where water vapors are free to move around rapidly bouncing off one another (Laureate Education 2007).