Heat shield
Evaluating materials for a heat shield to prevent a piece of chocolate from melting.
The Solar Orbiter has to get very close to the Sun’s surface to observe how it works. It needs a heat shield, so its systems do not get too hot and melt. Can you design a heat shield from a suitable material?
This fun activity focusses on selecting the material to make a heat shield to stop a piece of chocolate from melting. Learners will make use of the theme of the future of flight to design, make and test a heat shield to prevent a piece of chocolate from melting. They will test different materials to see which protects the chocolate the best and discuss their results.
You will need:
- Polystyrene cups
- Scissors
- Materials for heat shields (e.g. milk bottle plastic, cardboard, metal foil, metal mesh)
- Chocolate pieces
- Hairdryer
- Stopwatch or timer
Additional equipment that could be used:
- Thermometer
- Ruler
- Heat mats to place polystyrene cups on
- Oven gloves/cloths/tongs
And please do share your learning highlights and final creations with us on social media @IETeducation or send them via email to IETEducation@theiet.org to be featured in our online gallery.
