Sixth graders completed two heat transfer experiments that involved holding a balloon over a lit candle. One balloon was filled with air and popped as soon as it got close to the flame. Another balloon was filled with air and a few teaspoons of water. Students were surprised to see that this balloon didn’t pop when it came in contact with the flame, but instead blew out the flame! We discussed the different types of heat transfer that occurred. Students concluded that the heat from the flame was absorbed by the water and therefore did not melt the rubber balloon.
Here is a graphic organizer I created for students to record their observations: