Chill Quest Slideshow Chill Quest
Thermodynamics & Engineering Challenge
Mission Objectives
01
Data Intelligence
Identify relationships between ice mass and temperature stability through trial data.
02
Material Science
Evaluate the effectiveness of different insulating materials and surface wraps.
03
Engineering Design
Propose a container design optimized for maximum thermal resistance.
The 24-Hour Crisis
In high-performance sports, a lukewarm drink isn't just unpleasant—it's a failure of engineering.
"How do we prevent energy from the environment from infiltrating our system?"
Ambient Temperature: 32°C (90°F)
Target Liquid Temp: 2°C
Phase 1: The Evidence
Before we build, we must understand. Scientists use Three Trial Analysis to spot patterns in thermal behavior.
Temperature Stability Trials
Time (Min) Trial 1 (°C) Trial 2 (°C) Trial 3 (°C) 0 0°C 0°C 0°C 15 1.5°C 0°C 3.2°C 30 3.8°C 0°C 6.5°C 45 5.2°C 0.4°C 9.8°C 60 7.1°C 1.2°C 12.4°C
Analyzing the Curve
The Question:
Which trial used the greatest mass of ice?
The Reasoning:
"Trial 2 had the smallest change in temperature because the larger mass of ice required more energy to melt before the water could begin warming."
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3
Thermodynamic Principles
Conduction
Transfer through direct contact with the surface.
Convection
Heat moving through air or liquid currents.
Radiation
Energy waves from light or hot objects.
Ranking the Prototypes
Which design will keep the drink cold the longest? (1 = Best)
A
Sides & Top wrapped in Styrofoam
B
Sides wrapped in Styrofoam
C
Sides wrapped in Aluminum Foil
D
Plain Container (Control)
The Verdict
1 Design A (Total coverage)
2 Design B (Good, but lid leaks)
3 Design C (Foil is a conductor!)
4 Design D (Plain plastic)
Why?
Insulation works by trapping air pockets and blocking surface contact. Total coverage prevents heat from escaping or entering through any boundary.
Making Smart Choices
DO:
Insulate ALL surfaces.
Use Phase-Change materials (Ice).
Create distance from heat sources.
DON'T:
Leave the top open.
Substitute ice for cold water.
Use metallic wraps near sun.
Ice vs. Cold Water
Why is 100g of ice better than 100g of 0°C water?
Latent Heat
Energy is used to break bonds in the ice before the temperature can rise.
Duration
Ice acts as a heat sink that lasts 5-10x longer than cold liquid.
Engineering Phase
The Blueprint
You are now the lead engineer. Your goal is a 24-hour sports drink container.
The Design Criteria
Materials
Choose your insulators wisely. Layers matter.
Styrofoam Bubble Wrap Plastic
Ice Mass
How much of your volume will be dedicated to cooling?
Small Medium Large
Form vs. Function
A perfect insulator is useless if the athlete can't drink from it.
Straw access
Grip & Handle
One-hand opening
Sketch in Packet
Review Your Specs
Thermal Equilibrium
When two objects reach the same temperature.
Thermal Conductivity
How fast heat moves through a material.
R-Value
The measure of thermal resistance.
Surface Area
The more area exposed, the more heat enters.
Quest Complete
Hand in your final design plan. Remember: The best engineers don't just guess—they use the data.
Chill Quest Student Packet Chill Quest
Student Engineering Packet
NAME:
DATE:
The Mission
Your goal today is to apply thermodynamic principles to design a container that keeps a sports drink at optimal temperature for 24 hours. You will analyze past trial data, evaluate insulating materials, and propose a final engineering blueprint based on scientific evidence.
Thermal Toolkit: Key Terms
Thermal Equilibrium
The state where two objects in physical contact reach the same temperature and no more heat flows between them.
Insulation
A material that reduces the rate of heat transfer by blocking conduction, convection, or radiation.
Latent Heat of Fusion
The energy required to change a substance from solid (ice) to liquid (water) without changing its temperature.
Phase 0: Readiness Check & Terminology Review
1
Data Interpretation
Time Limit: 10 Minutes
Review the table below. Each trial represents the same container but with a different mass of ice added at the start (Time 0). All trials were conducted at an ambient room temperature of 25°C.
Time (Min) Trial 1 (°C) Trial 2 (°C) Trial 3 (°C) 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 15 1.5 0.0 3.2 30 3.8 0.0 6.5 45 5.2 0.4 9.8 60 7.1 1.2 12.4
1.1 Based on the data above, which trial used the greatest mass of ice?
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
(Circle your choice above)
1.2 Explain why in one sentence using Internal Assessment (IA) phrasing.
Hint: Consider the relationship between mass of ice and the rate of temperature change.
2
Insulation Ranking
Time Limit: 10 Minutes
Evaluate the following four container designs based on their thermal efficiency.
A
Total Enclosure
Sides & Top wrapped in high-density Styrofoam.
B
Partial Wrap
Sides wrapped in Styrofoam; lid left uncovered.
C
Radiative Shield
Chill Quest Teacher Guide Chill Quest
Teacher Facilitation Guide
90 MIN LESSON
Subject
Thermodynamics
Grade Level
Middle / High School
Focus
Data & Engineering
Pacing & Lesson Flow
0-10m
Introduction & Hook
Use Slides 1-3 to set the "24-Hour Crisis" scenario. Distribute Student Packets.
10-25m
Data Interpretation (Packet Section 1)
Students analyze the 3-trial table. Facilitate a discussion on why Trial 2's temperature remained flat (Slides 4-6).
25-45m
Thermodynamic Science (Direct Instruction)
Use Slides 7-11 to explain conduction, convection, radiation, and the science of latent heat/phase change.
45-65m
Insulation Ranking & Choices (Packet Sections 2-3)
Students work in pairs to rank materials and select design features. Debrief using Slides 9-10.
65-90m
Engineering Design Proposal (Packet Section 4)
Students draft their final blueprint and explanation. Use Slide 16 for closing reflections.
Key Instructional Tips
The Foil Trap: Students often think aluminum foil is a good insulator because of space blankets. Clarify that while it reflects radiation, it is a high-performance conductor for heat and requires an air gap to be effective.
IA Phrasing: Encourage students to use "Independent Variable" (Ice Mass) and "Dependent Variable" (Temperature) in their explanations for section 1.2.
Answer Key
Confidential / Teacher Use Only
Section 1: Data Interpretation
1.1 Choice: Trial 2
1.2 Explanation: "Trial 2 used the greatest mass of ice because it maintained 0.0°C for the longest duration, indicating that more energy was required to overcome the latent heat of fusion before the temperature could rise."
Section 2: Insulation Ranking
2.1 Ranking: A: 1 | B: 2 | C: 3 | D: 4
2.2 Explanation: "Design A is the most effective because it provides total enclosure, minimizing heat transfer via convection through the top and conduction through the sides."
Section 3: Design Choices
3.1 Correct Choices: C, D, E
Choice C: Minimizes entry points for thermal energy.
Choice D: Reduces the temperature gradient between the environment and the container.
Choice E: Provides a larger heat sink (more ice = more energy absorbed before phase change).
Section 4: Mini Design Plan (Exemplar)
Materials: Double-layered Styrofoam with a bubble-wrap air gap.
Chill Quest Warm Up Chill Quest
Phase 0: Thermal Warm-Up
NAME:
Microscopic Mission
Before we engineer large-scale containers, we must understand what is happening at the molecular level. Heat transfer is simply the movement of energy between particles.
1. Visualizing Phase Change
Draw the molecules for each state. Use circles to represent water molecules (\(H_2O\)).
Solid Ice (0°C)
Draw Molecular Lattice Here
Describe the spacing between molecules:
Liquid Water (1°C)
Draw Fluid Molecules Here
Describe the spacing between molecules:
2. Speed and Kinetic Energy
As ice absorbs energy from the environment to melt, how do the following variables change? Circle the correct trend.
Average Speed of Molecules
Increases Decreases Stays Same
Molecular Spacing (Distance)
Increases Decreases Stays Same
Total Kinetic Energy
Increases Decreases Stays Same
Key Concept Check:
Temperature is the measurement of the average kinetic energy of particles.
Chill Quest Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
Chill Quest: Thermodynamics
NAME:
1. Which thermodynamic principle explains why a container with a lid is significantly more effective than one without?
It reflects solar radiation more effectively.
It prevents heat transfer via convection currents.
It increases the thermal conductivity of the liquid.
2. Why is adding 200g of ice at 0°C better for long-term cooling than 200g of water at 0°C?
3. Identify one "trade-off" you had to make in your engineering design (e.g., insulation thickness vs. size).
Engineer Signature: _______________________
Exit Ticket
Chill Quest: Thermodynamics
NAME:
1. Which thermodynamic principle explains why a container with a lid is significantly more effective than one without?
It reflects solar radiation more effectively.
It prevents heat transfer via convection currents.
It increases the thermal conductivity of the liquid.
2. Why is adding 200g of ice at 0°C better for long-term cooling than 200g of water at 0°C?
3. Identify one "trade-off" you had to make in your engineering design (e.g., insulation thickness vs. size).
Engineer Signature: _______________________
