Creating,+Imagining+and+Innovating

One of our assignments was to construct an instrument that will limit the amount of energy released when ethanol and propanol are burned. We also had to experiment which alcohol (ethanol or propanol) is more energy efficient.

To start, we had to think about the construction of our instrument. We thought about which materials would release the least amount of energy and will also not burn. So, we decided to use a 2,000 mL glass beaker and cover the sides with aluminum foil to keep the energy from escaping. We placed an alcohol burner inside the 2,000 mL beaker. By using a 1 meter copper wire, we were able to construct a nest-like net at the top of the beaker. This ultimately held the 1,000 mL beaker, which was filled with water. We then covered the top of the 1,000 mL beaker with aluminum foil. This aluminum foil also had a small hole so a thermometer could stick through and into the beaker.

Here is a picture of what our final instrument looked like:



This lab took a lot of effort because Alex and I really had to think about which materials to use. We automatically ruled off plastic because we knew that it would instantly burn and eventually melt. Creativity, imagination, and innovation were the key to make this lab successful. We based this lab off of another lab that we did in class. Because a lot of energy was lost in the past experiment (using an aluminum soda can) we had to think from there and create something more efficient.