Middle School Resource

Cold Metal by Exploratorium

For this activity, place your palms flat on the various surfaces and compare how cold they feel. Arrange the materials in order from cold to warm. Then place the liquid crystal thermometer, or regular thermometer, on each surface. Notice that all the materials are at the same temperature. Your hand is not always a good thermometer. When you touch a variety of materials, some will seem warmer or colder than others, even when they are at the same temperature.

Related NY State Academic Standards: S.MS.PS.1.4 and MST4.I.PS4.2!

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