A group of students is investigating whether copper is a better thermal conductor than steel. The students take a copper wire and a steel wire of the same length and diameter. They put equal lengths of wax on one end of each wire and dip the other end into a beaker of hot water. The length of wax left on the wires after 10 minutes is shown.

Experimental Observations:

- Original length of wax

- Copper: 3 cm

- Steel: 3 cm

- Length of wax after 10 minutes

- Copper: 0.7 cm

- Steel: 1.8 cm

What was the dependent variable in this experiment?

a. Type of wire used

b. Original length of wire

c. Original length of wax

d. Thermal conductivity of wire

Question

Physics

Colin

5 December, 03:28

A group of students is investigating whether copper is a better thermal conductor than steel. The students take a copper wire and a steel wire of the same length and diameter. They put equal lengths of wax on one end of each wire and dip the other end into a beaker of hot water. The length of wax left on the wires after 10 minutes is shown.

Experimental Observations:

- Original length of wax

- Copper: 3 cm

- Steel: 3 cm

- Length of wax after 10 minutes

- Copper: 0.7 cm

- Steel: 1.8 cm

What was the dependent variable in this experiment?

a. Type of wire used

b. Original length of wire

c. Original length of wax

d. Thermal conductivity of wire

+2

Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Jade Gill · Answer 1

The dependent variable is clearly the original length of wax because the amount the wax melted determined which type of metal was a better heat conductor. The best heat conductor was steel because it held heat for longer thus making the wax continue to melt for longer than the steel wire resulting in a longer piece of melted wax left on the wire.