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Show your inner engineer
Show your inner engineer and find better ways to reflect
- Secondary 4
- Secondary 5
45–60 minutes
An investigative activity in which students measure the reflected light and temperature of different materials to understand how certain surfaces contribute to urban heat islands. The goal is to identify materials that can reflect more solar energy to help keep cities cooler.
Physical principles covered
- The albedo effect
- Reflection and absorption of light
- Energy and heat transfer
- Urban heat islands
- Measuring illuminance
Required Materials
- Lux meter or a smartphone with a lux meter app
- Infrared thermometer
- Halogen lamp
- Timer
- Support stand
- Graph paper
- Materials of varying colours (cardboard, sand, shingles, cement, etc.)
Concepts from the Québec Education Program
Science and Technology – The material world:
- Solar energy and heat transfer
- Reflection and absorption of light
- Using measuring instruments
- The scientific method