Radiant Barrier – Hot Plate & Paper Screen

Objective: To demonstrate how a paper screen can be used as a radiant barrier for radiation from a hot plate.

Outcome: Students understand that high ceiling, false ceiling, insulation etc. can act as a radiant barrier in a building.

Materials: A cooking pan, hot plate stove, a white foolscap size paper

Prerequisites: For safety, please check the working condition of the hot plate stove.

Procedure: 

Step 1: Call out students one at a time to experience the radiation.

Step 2: Heat the pan and cautiously hold the hot pan at approximately 50 cm from their face for a duration of 10 seconds.

Step 3: Hand out a paper sheet to the student and instruct to hold the paper sheet in between the pan and their face for next 10 seconds.

Step 4: Collect feedback from students after all have finished experiencing the heat from the pan. Ask question to the students – Who experienced lesser heat when they held the paper in-between their face and the hot pan?

Step 5: Explain to the students how foolscap paper acted as a radiant barrier to stop heat transfer due to radiation from the pan.

Step 6: Explain to the students that the roofs, false ceilings, high ceilings and insulation inside the building are radiant barriers that stop heat from entering the building.