The following data was collected from calorimeters made from styrofoam cups of two brands, X and Y. Each calorimeter was made from a different brand of styrofoam cup, but the cups were the same size and dimensions. The students performed the following steps to collect the data:

Question

Add 100 mL of boiling water to the cup.
Record the initial temperature of the water.
Record the temperature of the water every minute for 25 minutes.
The following graph represents the data collected by the students.


Based on the experiment, which brand would be best at reducing the energy lost to the surroundings?
Brand X is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the surroundings to the water.
Brand Y is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the surroundings to the water.
Brand X is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the water to the surroundings.
Brand Y is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the water to the surroundings.

Answer 1

To determine which brand of styrofoam cup (X or Y) is the better insulator in this experiment, we would need to analyze the temperature data collected over time. The key aspect of insulation is minimizing the heat transfer between the contents of the cup (the water) and the surrounding environment.

If the graph shows that the temperature of the water in Brand X's cup decreases more slowly over the 25 minutes compared to Brand Y, this would indicate that Brand X is allowing less heat to escape from the water to the surroundings. Conversely, if Brand Y's water temperature stays higher for a longer period, it would suggest that Brand Y is better at keeping the heat within the cup.

Given the options provided:

• "Brand X is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the surroundings to the water."
• "Brand Y is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the surroundings to the water."
• "Brand X is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the water to the surroundings."
• "Brand Y is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the water to the surroundings."

The correct answer will depend on which brand of cup resulted in a smaller decrease in water temperature over the measured time, indicating better heat retention. Based on the information given, the logical conclusion would likely be:

• "Brand X is the better insulator since it allows less heat to flow from the water to the surroundings." (assuming that Brand X's temperature dropped less than that of Brand Y).

However, you should confirm this based on the actual temperature data represented in the graph to make the final determination.