Question

Design an activity to show that metals are good conductors of heat and have high melting points.

Answer 1

Material required: Aluminium or copper wire, a stand with a clamp, a candle or a spirit lamp, a small steel pin, and wax.

Procedure:

1. Take an aluminium or copper wire and clamp it to a stand.
2. Fix a small steel pin at the free end of the wire using wax.
3. Heat the wire near the clamped end using the candle or spirit lamp.
4. Observe the changes carefully.

Observation: As the heat moves through the wire and melts the wax, the steel pin eventually comes loose. Its high melting point is demonstrated by the fact that the wire itself does not melt.

Conclusion: This activity shows that metals are good conductors of heat (as heat travels through the wire) and have high melting points (as the wire does not melt).