Simulation 2 of 2 · Test the Pattern
Set-up 1 is still the control. Set-up 3 sits in a room cooled by an air-conditioner. Tap through the 5 temperatures below. The blue dimension line on each diagram shows the distance being measured — between the hanging weight and the table. Keep cooling it far enough, and see what happens to the wire.
| Trial | Temperature | Set-up 1 distance | Set-up 3 distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| No trials recorded yet — pick a temperature and press "Record this trial." | |||
Why does the distance change?
Both wires hold the exact same weight. In Set-up 1, the temperature never changes, so the distance stays constant. In Set-up 3, heat flows out of the wire into the cooler air-conditioned room, and the wire contracts — it pulls very slightly shorter. Under the same weight, that means less slack, so the wire sags less and the weight moves further from the table. But a wire can only pull so tight. Once it runs out of slack, cooling it further has nowhere for the tension to go, and the wire snaps.
What is the independent variable (change variable)?
What is the constant?
What is the relation between temperature and the length of the wire?