Can Challenge- How we made the can and materials we used Tess Mandoli and Kate Hanson

Materials Used

Empty Soda Can The soda can had warm water in it that was 70 degrees Fahrenheit in it. The point of the insulator was to keep this can warm.

Duct Tape Duct tape was used to keep some water out and also to make our insulator pretty.

Cotton Balls Cotton balls were used because they are bad conductors of heat, which means they were good insulators. We put them in the bottom and down the sides of our insulator.

Foam Sheets Foam sheets were wrapped around the can to help keep it warm. Foam is good insulating material.

Felt Felt was wrapped around the foam to add an extra layer of insulation.

Plastic Box Our whole insulator was placed in a plastic box much like this one. But the one that we used was about half the size.

Foam Board We used foam board to make the walls of the insulator.

How we made the Insulator

Step 1- get materials Diet Coke Can Plastic Box (structural purposes) Cotton balls (for insulation) Sheet of thin Styrofoam (for insulation) Foam Sheet  (for insulation) Thick piece of Styrofoam Duct tape(structural purposes) Felt (Structural purposes)

Step 2: cut out foam walls Step two: cut out two pieces of 7.5 x 18 and two pieces of 8.5 x 18 of 1/2 cm thick foam These pieces will be used as insulation.

Step 3: Assemble walls Step Three: Hot Glue the four pieces of foam to the inside of the plastic box. They will fit tightly on the inside of the box. This is so that the air will not be able to escape.

Step 4: Assemble walls (part 2) Step four: duct tape around the pieces of foam so that the structure is stronger

Step 5: Step five: cut out four pieces of 7 x 7 pieces of 1.5 cm thick foam. Then glue piece 1 and 2 together. Then glue piece 3 and 4 together. Glue piece one and two to the bottom of the plastic box inside the other pieces of foam. Glue pieces 3 and 4 to the lid of the plastic box.

Step 6: Wrapping the can in foam Step six:  Get a sheet 1/2 cm thick of flexible foam. Cut the piece of foam so that it snugly wraps around the can. Hold the sheet around the can and tape it with duct tape so that the sheet will stay around the can.

Step 7: Wrap the foam in felt Step seven: take a piece of thin felt and wrap it around the flexible foam. Glue to the flexible foam with hot glue.

Step 8: Step eight: Place the can inside the flexible foam wrap and put inside the structure. Fill in the sides with cotton balls for more insulation.

Step 9 Step Nine: Wrap the entire structure with saran wrap. Then place a big plastic bag around the saran wrap and tape it to the sides.

Step 10 Step Ten: place the lid on the top if the structure.

Step 11 Step eleven: Drill a hole in the top for the thermometer to fit through the top into the can.

Step 12 Step Twelve:  Fill the can with 72 degree water. Place the can in a tub of ice water and put a weight on top so that it does not float up. Place the thermometer inside and measure the temperature over a period of 20 minutes.