In this experiment, you will measure the hand temperature of everyone in the class.
What are some questions you can ask about hand temperature?
Here are some ideas to get you started:
In our class, do boys or girls have warmer hands?
What is the average hand temperature of the class?
Do taller classmates have warmer hands?
How big of a difference is there between the warmest hand and the coldest hand in the class?
Talk about other possible questions with your class and decide which one you would all like to explore first.
Make a prediction. What do you think your experiment will tell you about your question?
Here are some possible hypotheses for the sample questions in Step #1:
I think girls have warmer hands than boys.
I think the average hand temperature of the class is 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
I do not think a person's height makes a difference in hand temperature.
I think everyone’s hand temperature will be within 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Write down your own hypothesis for your class question. Each person can have his or her own hypothesis. Just remember: It is not important if your prediction is incorrect. It simply provides a purpose for your experiment. It is the statement to prove or disprove.
Make a prediction. What do you think your experiment will tell you about your question?
Here are some possible hypotheses for the sample questions in Step #1:
I think girls have warmer hands than boys.
I think the average hand temperature of the class is 98 degrees Fahrenheit.
I do not think a person's height makes a difference in hand temperature.
I think everyone’s hand temperature will be within 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Write down your own hypothesis for your class question. Each person can have his or her own hypothesis. Just remember: It is not important if your prediction is incorrect. It simply provides a purpose for your experiment. It is the statement to prove or disprove.
Test your hypothesis by collecting data through an experiment.
Start by watching the following video on how to use your sensor with the Logger Lite software. Feel free to come back to this video if you get stuck later.
When you finish the tutorial video:
Go get your Go!Temp temperature sensor
Connect the Go!Temp temperature sensor to the computer.
Launch the Logger Lite software.
Click on the Open folder button at the top of the screen.
Double-click on the Elementary Science folder.
Double-click experiment 07 Are We Cool.
-Hold the temperature sensor tightly in your hand and click the Collect data button. The computer will record your hand temperature for 60 seconds.
-Write down your name and the last temperature recorded in the data table on the left (make sure you are using the right units – Fahrenheit).
Repeat this process for every member at your station.
You will be creating a chart in Google Sheets now.
What do you observe from the data your class collected? Do you notice any patterns or trends? How can you use this data to answer the question for your experiment?
Based on your experiment results, what seems to be the answer to your question? Did the findings support your hypothesis?
Be sure to support your statement by including information from Step #4. Think about how you could improve your class experiment. Are all of the temperature readings accurate? What might have influenced some students' hand temperatures, but not others?