Wood Chip vs. Fiberglass Insulation By Gus Conwell Period 4 Quarter 4 Robert Louis Stevenson Middle School

Question Will fabricated insulation be better at holding heat than natural insulation?

Background Information This experiment was based on heat convection. Convection is how heat moves around the earth. Builders install insulation to keep the interior of structures warm and quiet.

My Hypothesis I predict that the fabricated fiberglass insulation will better at holding heat than the natural wood chip insulation.

Variables Experimental: wood chips, R-13 insulation Constant: light bulbs, boxes, instant thermometers, temperature on the outside

Materials Wood base watt light bulbs 2 – same size cardboard boxes 2 - Instant thermometers Wood Chips R-13 insulation

Building Procedures 1. Gather all required materials 2. Build two cardboard houses 3. Install wood chip insulation 4. Install fiberglass insulation 5. Wire two light bulbs

Testing Procedure 1)Recorded outside temperature 2)Turn on the lights in each insulation testing cardboard box 3)Wait 5 minutes for insulation boxes to warm up, record temperature, turn off light 4)2 minutes later record temperature 5)3 minutes later record temperature 6)3 minutes later record temperature

Observation Table Recorded temperatures Test (degrees)Wood ChipsFiberglass Test 1 (65)146 to to 84 Test 2 (65)136 to to 89 Test 3 (65)150 to to 91 Test 4 (40)134 to to 80 Test 5 (40)144 to to 85

Outside temperature 65 degrees

Outside Temperature 50 degrees

Total Temperature Lost in 8 Min

Data Analysis Surprisingly, the wood chips reflected the light causing a initial higher temperature. However, the fiberglass insulation retained heat better than the woodchips. Therefore, fiberglass is better than wood chip insulation at holding heat.

Conclusion My hypothesis was correct. Fiberglass is a better insulator of air than wood chips. We might have had different results if we had tested at extreme temperatures I tried to find a natural solution to keep a house warm, but R-13 insulation proved to be a better choice

Special Thanks My dad, I could not have done it without him. School for champions website from 3/24/10. http// champions.com/science /thermal_insulation.ht ml Mr. Pham for guidance, help, and advice.