How Core Body Temperature and Thermoregulation are affected by the Shape of an Object

Abstract

Our investigative question for this experiment is: why is the clay shaped differently in cooler climates than in warmer climates? We hypothesize that clay with a larger surface area to volume ratio loses heat faster than clay with a smaller surface area to volume ratio. To test our hypothesis, we will measure temperature and compare the small rectangular cube of clay (control group) to the large rectangular cube of clay (experimental group). We will measure the volume (mL) and surface area (cm^2) of both the small and large rectangular cube of clay, heat both of the cubes for 10 minutes and compare the rate of cooling (for one minute) between the different sizes of clay. By heating two different sizes at the same time, it allows us to compare 2 data sets on one graph. The results of our experiment show that the larger specimen, with a smaller surface area to volume ratio, lost heat more rapidly than the smaller specimen, with a larger surface area to volume ratio.