In this lab-based activity the students will use their knowledge about the law of conservation of energy to explain the loss of heat by warm water to cold water. Then, the students will use these concepts to design and carry an experiment to determine the unknown temperature of a hot water sample.

In this informational text, elementary school readers learn about the difference between weather and climate and about components of the climate system. The text can be used to practice visualizing and other comprehension strategies. Available in K-2 and 3-5 grade bands and as an illustrated book as well as a text document, the story appears in the online magazine Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle.

What kind of unit conversion would you like to do? This site will allow you to do a multitude of conversions. Just click on the specific measurement you are needing to convert. It also provides a history of measurements and a chart of metric symbols.

This article reprints and links to informational text about the adaptations that allow mammals and fish to survive in polar oceans. Versions are available for students in grades K-1, 2-3 and 4-5. Related science and literacy activities are included.

In this experiment, two chemicals that can be found around the house will be mixed within a plastic baggie, and several chemical changes will be observed.

CK-12 Basic Physics - Second Edition updates CK-12 Basic Physics and is intended to be used as one small part of a multifaceted strategy to teach physics conceptually and mathematically.

Biology 2e is designed to cover the scope and sequence requirements of a typical two-semester biology course for science majors. The text provides comprehensive coverage of foundational research and core biology concepts through an evolutionary lens. Biology includes rich features that engage students in scientific inquiry, highlight careers in the biological sciences, and offer everyday applications. The book also includes various types of practice and homework questions that help students understand—and apply—key concepts. The 2nd edition has been revised to incorporate clearer, more current, and more dynamic explanations, while maintaining the same organization as the first edition. Art and illustrations have been substantially improved, and the textbook features additional assessments and related resources.

By the end of this section, you will be able to do the following:

Discuss the concept of entropy
Explain the first and second laws of thermodynamics

In the following video Paul Andersen explains how heat is the movement of energy from an object with a higher temperature to an object with lower temperature. Heat transfer can occur through conduction, convection, and radiation. [4:10]

In the following video Paul Andersen explains how heating is the transfer of energy (heat) from a warmer object to a cooler object. Heat can be transferred through conduction, convection and radiation. At the microscopic level conduction results from the collision of particles and therefore the transfer of kinetic energy. [3:32]

In the following video Paul Andersen explains how the total energy of a system is the combination of kinetic, potential and internal energy of the objects. He then shows you how to calculate the kinetic energy, gravitational potential energy, and elastic potential energy of objects within a system. Over time the total energy of the system will change due to changes in position and frictional effects. [6:14]

Construct and measure the energy efficiency and solar heat gain of a cardboard model house. Use a light bulb heater to imitate a real furnace and a temperature sensor to monitor and regulate the internal temperature of the house. Use a bright bulb in a gooseneck lamp to model sunlight at different times of the year, and test the effectiveness of windows for passive solar heating.

Do you know how many calories are in a macadamia nut? This video segment highlighting a Calorimetry experiment will give you the answer.

This investigation will have students testing how heating and cooling can change the state of matter. They will test a variety of materials determine whether a change takes place through heating/cooling.

This activity is a 2 part lab activity where students record properties of various bars of soap, and make models of molecules as they are cooled or heated. Students develop a new experiment changing one variable.

This site provides a general overview of thermochemistry, the division of chemistry that deals with temperature in chemical reactions. Content explores what heat and cold really are, the heat and energy around you, and a bit about Lord Kelvin.

Chemical reactions are the foundation of chemistry, and understanding how elements combine and in what ratios helps us to understand the world around us. This pathway provides resources about how different chemicals react, and the ratios in which they react, a field of study known as Stoichiometry (literally: element measuring).

This article lists common misconceptions about light, heat, and the sun. It provides formative assessment probes and information about teaching for conceptual change.