Core Practicals Overview — Physics

This lesson covers the key Physics core practicals for Edexcel GCSE Combined Science (1SC0). These practicals frequently appear on Papers 5 and 6 and are worth learning in detail.

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Core Practical 8: Investigating Thermal Insulation

Aim

To investigate the effectiveness of different materials as thermal insulators by measuring how quickly hot water cools when wrapped in different materials.

Method

1. Measure a fixed volume of hot water (e.g. 100 cm³ at approximately 80 °C) and pour it into a beaker.
2. Wrap the beaker in the insulating material being tested (e.g. bubble wrap, felt, foil, cotton wool). Use the same thickness and coverage for each material.
3. Place a thermometer or temperature probe into the water.
4. Record the temperature every minute for a set period (e.g. 10 minutes).
5. Repeat the experiment with a different insulating material.
6. Include a control — a beaker with no insulation.
7. Repeat each test at least three times and calculate mean temperatures.

Variables