In this energy and power science fair project, the student will calculate the heat energy produced by an active compost pile, surrounding a tin can filled with water. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning...

Learn about thermal energy, also known as heat or heat energy, and the ways in which it can move from one object to another,

Have you ever pulled a muscle or just been sore after a long day of work or exercise? Hot showers are great, but maybe you've used the more convenient heat packs. Heat packs, which you can buy at grocery or drug stores to soothe aching...

In this science fair project, use a calorimeter with an attached heating element to measure how water responds to added thermal energy.

Solar power is hot these days. Gleaming, black solar panels soak up rays on more and more rooftops of homes and businesses providing a clean, alternative source of heat and electricity. You might guess that different times of the day...

In this mammalian biology science fair project, students will determine how much huddling reduces heat loss in warm-blooded animals. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an abstract, objective, and...

We all know that plants need sunlight and water to grow big and tall. But did you know that inside seeds are baby plants, and that the fragile baby plant inside the seed needs to be protected? If you've ever had a sunburn, you also know...

Here is a project that uses direct solar power, gathering the sun's rays for heating and sterilizing water or cooking. It's a low-cost technology that seems to have everything going for it. Use this project to find out if it works, and...

This unit contains a series of lessons that allow students to explore the effect of sunlight on Earth's natural surfaces of sand, soil, rock, and water. In addition, students explore how the color and material of a surface affects how...

In this science fair project, use a globe and a heat lamp to investigate how the angle of the Sun affects global warming. This project includes the objective, background questions, a list of all the materials you'll need, and the...

You've probably noticed that the price of gasoline can fluctuate a great deal from one year to the next. Using good insulation material is one way to conserve energy and save money. Learn here which insulation materials work better than...

A discussion from the Oklahoma Climatological Survey of the thermal factors effecting the movement of air masses in the atmosphere. Numerous topics such as methods of heat transfer, latent heat, phase changes (including sublimation and...

When we get hot, we sweat. The physiological role of sweat is to cool us down. When the water evaporates, it removes energy from our bodies. This sort of evaporative cooling can also be used to cool homes, using what are referred to as...

Students test which type of material retains heat the longest.

An activity for students to explore how dark-colored materials absorb and emit more energy vs. light-colored material.

Explains what thermal energy is, describes some different types, and presents facts about each type.

Watch and learn as Bill Nye the Science Guy demonstrates what happens when two steel spheres are smashed together. Enough heat is generated at the point of contact to burn a hole in a piece of ordinary paper. [1:05]

Kids learn about solar energy and how this renewable power can help the environment. Teach students about solar cells and using the sun for heat.

Work samples, phenomena, assessment templates, and videos that directly address standard MS-PS3-4: thermal energy transfer.

In this experiment, students observe what happens when a pan of soapy, colored water is heated. They will see that convection currents cause the fluid to rise and sink in a localized convection cell.

This resource provides an account of the lives of the two scientists responsible for two of the most common temperature scales. Includes biographical information about each and a description of how each developed their own temperature...

This activity will teach you how it is even possible to bake ice cream in a hot oven and have it come out frozen.

In this lesson, students conduct heat transfer experiments to investigate why the Earth is still hot at its core, even after billions of years since its formation. They will learn that the rate of heat transfer is dependent on an...

A detailed overview of the Earth's atmosphere, with explanations about atmospheric properties, the structure of the atmosphere, its four layers, atmospheric processes, energy heat transfer, conduction and convection, and radiation. All...