Thermodynamics B/C

[BasuSiddha23]

Does anyone else have scores and temperatures they can share? What insulation are you using?

I am using Aerogel to keep conduction rates down, aluminum foil to keep radiation waves inside, and a whole cover over the device to keep the air from coming inside, this helps with convection.

Where are you buying your aerogel from?

I am buying mine from http://unitednuclear.com/index.php?main ... ucts_id=89

It was mentioned on the forums earlier so that's where I got the information to order mine

[LIPX3]

Are you guys worried at all about the time between putting the hot water in the beaker and putting the beaker in the device? I’m worried that the cooling in that time period will have so significant an effect that prediction will be close to random. (In fairness, I haven’t tested myself yet so I could be blowing this out of proportion. I’m just curious what you all think.)

I am worried about this. However, under the last line of 4.d., the rules say that we may measure the temperature of the water in our beaker.

[LIPX3]

Also, being slightly off on the prediction doesn't matter that much. If your predicted temperature was 80 degrees and it actually was 78, your PE would be 0.975. If your predicted temperature was 78 degrees and it was actually 78, your PE would be 1.

The person who was two degrees off would still get 24.375 points. The person who was zero degrees off would get 25 points.

[JonB]

Are you guys worried at all about the time between putting the hot water in the beaker and putting the beaker in the device? I’m worried that the cooling in that time period will have so significant an effect that prediction will be close to random. (In fairness, I haven’t tested myself yet so I could be blowing this out of proportion. I’m just curious what you all think.)

I am worried about this. However, under the last line of 4.d., the rules say that we may measure the temperature of the water in our beaker.

The more competitive the competition, the more taking this into account matters. It's part of the challenge, in my opinion.

[Unome]

Are you guys worried at all about the time between putting the hot water in the beaker and putting the beaker in the device? I’m worried that the cooling in that time period will have so significant an effect that prediction will be close to random. (In fairness, I haven’t tested myself yet so I could be blowing this out of proportion. I’m just curious what you all think.)

I am worried about this. However, under the last line of 4.d., the rules say that we may measure the temperature of the water in our beaker.

Yeah, this seems like a pretty good way to negate that factor. Theoretically, the cooling time begins when you receive your water, so if you can estimate the time elapsed between when you get your water and when you measure the temperature yourself, you can avoid both the time difference and any error or instrument biases in the event supervisor's announced temperature (which, with this method, ends up being irrelevant to your prediction anyway).

[retired1]

A partial help is to make your device simple enough that you can get the beaker in it rapidly. Also, consider taking the device to the table where they pass out the water or as close as they will let you.

[LIPX3]

Are you guys worried at all about the time between putting the hot water in the beaker and putting the beaker in the device? I’m worried that the cooling in that time period will have so significant an effect that prediction will be close to random. (In fairness, I haven’t tested myself yet so I could be blowing this out of proportion. I’m just curious what you all think.)

I am worried about this. However, under the last line of 4.d., the rules say that we may measure the temperature of the water in our beaker.

Yeah, this seems like a pretty good way to negate that factor. Theoretically, the cooling time begins when you receive your water, so if you can estimate the time elapsed between when you get your water and when you measure the temperature yourself, you can avoid both the time difference and any error or instrument biases in the event supervisor's announced temperature (which, with this method, ends up being irrelevant to your prediction anyway).

Also, being slightly off on the prediction doesn't matter that much. If your predicted temperature was 80 degrees and it actually was 78, your PE would be 0.975. If your predicted temperature was 78 degrees and it was actually 78, your PE would be 1.

The person who was two degrees off would still get 24.375 points. The person who was zero degrees off would get 25 points.

Even if you were 20 degrees of (predicted 58, actual 78), you would still get about 18 points.

[chethanags@gmail.com]

Does anybody know if there will be penalty for building the insulator box less than 20cm. Our's is around 18cmx18cmx18cm.
I know we can't exceed the given size. But what is the range in building it smaller?

Thanks,

[Unome]

Does anybody know if there will be penalty for building the insulator box less than 20cm. Our's is around 18cmx18cmx18cm.
I know we can't exceed the given size. But what is the range in building it smaller?

Thanks,

There should be no penalty, as long as you can meet the other applicable requirements (e.g. being able to fit your beaker in there, and it having some sort of lid) - you should check the rules to be certain of any other requirements, since I'm not sure. I doubt you will have problems with 18cm though.

[chethanags@gmail.com]

Thank you! That's what i thought.