When you have a hot cup of coffee, how long does it take until the liquid in the cup reaches room temperature? Does the coffee cool differently in a styrofoam, ceramic, or insulated container? You might be surprised by the answers to these questions. In this activity, you will discover the mathematical relationship that examines the rate in which a cup of hot water cools and how the insulating factor of the container affects the process.

Click for the Experiment

Developed by

This project is supported, in part,
by the

National Science Foundation

Opinions expressed are those of the authors
and not necessarily those of the National Science Foundation.