Insulating_Value_of_Different_Types_of_Clothing_Fabric._Task_3

Project design plan The purpose of this project is to test the insulating value of different types of clothing fabric. Do different types of clothing fabric insulate better than others' If so, what would be the best readily available fabric to wear in the cold winter months verses hot months. This information is very relevant in choosing what to wear during the winter and summer months. To test this question, research will be done using ½-pint glass jars with no lid. These jars will be filled with 112-degree water. The filled jars will be insulated with one layer of different types of common clothing fabrics. These jars will be placed at room temperature and a measurement of the rate of temperature loss will be done. The measurements will be taken every 15 minutes for 1 hour and 15 minutes. A control will be done at the same time using a 1/2-pint glass jar with no lid. This jar will be filled with 112-degree water and have no fabric around it. The control will be measured for temperature loss every 15 minutes for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The clothing fabric that retains the most heat would be good to wear on cold days and the clothing fabric that releases the most heat on hot days. Hypothesis The more dense the fabric the less heat reduction. Literature review With the unemployment of Americans at an all time high and the cost of goods increasing at a steady pace, it is important to spend money wisely. One way to do this is to purchase the appropriate clothing. In the study by the “North Carolina Cooperative Extension Program” (2004), insulation values of different types of fabric were conducted to see if a nylon jacket performed as well as a heavier wool coat in keeping students warm in the winter months. The results concluded that wool retained heat longer than nylon. This study showed money spent on a wool coat will give better heat retention. In a different study, “Assessing insulating fabric performance for extremely cold weather” (2006), 12 insulating fabrics were extracted from commercial clothing products and tested for static, simulated sweating, and simulated wind chill conditions. This test was conducted for clothing worn by those who go into high elevation while climbing mountains. These series of tests replicated the retention of body heat while a climber would be at rest, the wicking of body moisture away from the body, and the ability of the fabric to keep wind from penetrating. The results show vaetrex0 ranked number one in all categories. Experimental design Items needed: 5 – 1/2 pint Ball canning jars 4 – 9’ x 3” Pieces of clothing fabric (terry cloth, denim, cotton, and polyester) 1 – 3 quart microwave safe container 2.5 Pints of water 8 Rubber bands 1 – Thermometer Microwave Spreadsheet Timer 78-degree room Prepare 5 containers: The containers are 1/2-pint glass canning jars with no lids. They are to be clean and at room temperature. Prepare fabric: The clothing fabric is to be cut into 9” x 3” pieces that will fit around the container one time. Prepare water: In a 3-quart microwave safe container bring 2.5 pints of water up to 112 degrees in a microwave (approx. 7 minutes). Set up a spreadsheet to record the information. It should have 6 columns, one for the elapsed time and 5 for the different types of jars. The spreadsheet should have 7 rows to record the information (see table 1). Cut out a 3”x9” piece of fabric from cotton, polyester, denim, and terry cloth. Wrap (4) ½ pint jars with a different type of 3”x9” fabric that was prepared earlier and use 2 rubber bands to secure to jar. The rubber bands should be 1.5” from the top and 1” from the bottom of the jar. Leave one ½ pint jar with no fabric around it. Heat 2.5 pints of water in a 3-quart microwave safe container approximately 7 minutes, or until it reaches 112 degrees. Carefully pour ¾ cup of the 112-degree water from the 3-quart microwave safe container into all (5) 1/2-pint size containers. Do not put lids on the jars; leave them open to the air. Put all 5 containers, 1 wrapped with cotton, 1 with polyester, 1 with denim, 1 with terry cloth, and 1 with no wrap, in a room with an ambient of 78 degrees. With a thermometer, measure and record the temperature in fahrenheit of each jar every 15 minutes for 75 minutes. The measurements will be taken by starting with the control jar. Place the thermometer in the water and take a reading and record. At this time, set the timer for 15 minutes. After recording the temperature: place the same thermometer into the cotton covered jar, then the polyester covered jar, then into the denim covered jar, then the terry cloth covered jar. Record the temperature after removing it from the jar and before placing it into the next jar. Always use this order to be consistent. Repeat this process every 15 minutes for 75 minutes. For this experiment a control was needed. What would happen if nothing inhabited the loss of heat' The control was the ½-pint jar with no fabric wrapped around it. By having a control it can be determined if the different independent variables had any effect on the loss of heat. By having several independent variables, results can be compared not only against the control but also against each other. The independent variables were the different types of fabric. In order to have a consistent temperature reading, a set pattern was used starting by measuring the control and finishing with the terry cloth covered jar. This pattern was used each time the measurement was made. Also the timer was set for 15 minutes at the same time after each measurement. This provided a more consistent time lapse. To be sure all jars were filled with the same temperature water, the water was heated in the same container. This ensured uniformed start temperature. Also, all jars started at the same room temperature. This ensured any drop in temperature caused by the glass would be the same. Dependent Variable: The water temperature after cooling Independent Variable: The different types of clothing fabric Controlled Variable: The start temperature of the water, the ½ pint glass jars, the amount of water put in each jar, the room temperature, the times of measurements, the thermometer [pic] Threat reduction to internal validity To reduce the threat to internal validity the research was performed with the following procedures in place: 1. All glass jars started at the same room temperature. 2. All water was heated together to ensure each jar received the same temperature water. 3. All Jars containing hot water were placed in the same cool location at the same time. Hypothesis: The more dense the fabric the less heat reduction. This hypothesis was developed after reviewing research on the subject regarding wool verses nylon. Although some high tech fabrics have been developed such as vaetrex0, for the average person these are not readily available. Process of data collection A spreadsheet was set up to record the measurements. A thermometer was used to collect the data. The readings were taken in the same order each time (see picture 1). Once the reading was obtained, it was recorded and the next reading was made until all were complete (see table 1). After the last recording was made, a timer was set for 15 minutes. This process was repeated until the experiment was completed. | |Control |Terry Cloth |Polyester |Demin |Cotton | |Start |112 |112 |112 |112 |112 | |15 |108 |110 |111 |110 |109 | |30 |100 |102 |104 |101 |101 | |45 |92 |96 |98 |94 |95 | |60 |88 |91 |92 |90 |90 | |75 |86 |88 |90 |88 |87 | Table 1 (Measurements in degrees) Appropriate methods The data was collected every 15 minutes of the experiment to allow time for heat reduction. If less time were to be used in between measurements a more accurate thermometer would have to be used to see the slight reduction. If more time were to be used in between measurements the temperature of the water would have to be greater in order to see the reduction. Results [pic] These fabrics lost heat at a different rate. All experimental jars started at the same temperature and all lost heat. At the end, the variation in temperature was 4 degrees. As to be expected, the control lost the most heat. The polyester lost the least amount of heat. Percentage of heat loss in order from greatest to least Control – 23.21% loss of heat Cotton – 22.32% loss of heat Terry Cloth and Denim – 21.43% loss of heat Polyester – 19.64% Loss of heat Conclusion The results differ from what was expected. Of the 4 fabrics tested, polyester lost the least amount of heat. The denim fabric was the most dense and believed to be the fabric that would lose the least amount of heat. Other properties must play a role in the insulation value of fabric other than density. Confirmation of hypothesis Based on the results of this experiment, the less dense cotton fabric had more heat loss than the other fabrics. The most dense fabric terry cloth did not retain the most heat. Thus the original hypothesis, the more dense the fabric the less heat reduction is incorrect and not accepted. Experimental design as a key factor The experimental design played a major roll as a road map and outline for the experiment. It lays out critical plans to follow to make the result unbiased. The variables in the experiment were defined in the beginning. This made the experiment very controlled so the results would not be influenced by personal beliefs or a predetermined expected outcome. The hypothesis allows a prediction of the results based upon researched knowledge. Replication In order for scientific experiments to be accepted they must be repeatable. Other scientists should be able to conduct the same experiment and achieve similar results. Detailed information in the experimental design is critical to others being able to repeat the results. This experiment has very precise details and can be easily repeated. Evaluation of validity The experiment design provides enough detail so that the results of similar experiments should be similar. This experiment was performed only once and the data was not confirmed by several experiments. The thermometer used was not digital. A more precise reading may be obtained using this type of measuring device. Readily available fabrics may mean something different to other scientists. Readily available fabric was used in the contexts of unused sewing fabric remnants. At the conclusion of the experiment, a questions was raised that could affect the validity. If the temperature of the water at the start were higher, would the rate of decrease remain the same' The water was heated to 112 degrees. The ambient room temperature was 78 degrees. The rate of decrease in temperature may be greater if a greater distance separated the 2 values. It is very important in science to have experiments that can be reproduced by others. Results of an experiment must be able to be confirmed by peer review. This experiment sets forth the details necessary for others to accurately replicate and validate the results. It is important for other researchers to validate the results to ensure accuracy and interpretation. This will insure no bias on the part of the one conducting the test. References: 2004. North Carolina Cooperative Extension Program. Retrieved from: http://www.ag.ncat.edu/extension/programs/dte/science.pdf 2006. Assessing insulating fabric performance for extremely cold weather. Retrieved from: http://www.arcticmaxx.com/images/University%20of%20North%20Dakota.pdf ----------------------- Degrees Minutes The Rate of Temperature Loss