Have you ever wondered how polar bears and other arctic animals are able to live comfortably in the freezing snow? In this experiment, you will learn all about how they are able to withstand such extreme temperatures!
Materials:
Shortening, Ice cubes, Water, Two freezer bags, Hair tie or tape, and A large bowl
Time Estimated:
10 minutes
Directions:
First, pour some water into your bowl. Then, dump about half a cup of ice cubes into the water.
Next, place some shortening into your first freezer bag.
Then, cover one hand with your second freezer bag and stick it into the shortening. Make sure to secure the bags to your hand by wrapping the hair tie around your wrist. You now have one polar bear hand!
Finally, dip your polar bear hand into the freezing water. Try to dip your bare hand into the water as well. Can you observe any differences?
Think Like a Scientist:
What happens if the experiment is repeated with another material instead of shortening? What happens if there is no “insulator” at all?
Does the temperature of the water change anything in your observations?
Explanation of Science:
In this activity, you were able to discover how polar bears are able to stay warm and cozy all year long!
Polar bears are mostly found in the arctic where the temperature is far below freezing! In spite of this, they are still able to walk about, casually hunting and eating, without getting too cold. This is all thanks to a layer of fat below their fur known as blubber!
Because of the high amount of fat it contains, blubber is able to act as an insulator. An insulator is a material that prevents energy (in this case, heat) from flowing normally. Essentially, it does not allow heat to escape! So, thanks to the blubber, the heat that the polar bear creates does not travel away from its body to the surrounding air, but it is trapped under the fur and blubber because it cannot escape the layer of fat! It helps to think of these layers as a big, puffy sweater keeping the warm air in! This is how polar bears and other arctic animals are able to stay warm on even the coldest of days!
Now, it’s time to analyze the results of the experiment! When you try to stick both hands into the ice water (one bare hand and one hand in the “polar bear glove”), how long are you able to keep each hand in the water? Why do you think you are able to keep your polar bear hand in for a longer amount of time? This time, try using different insulators such as butter and other high-fat ingredients, and observe which one works the best!
Further Exploration:
Did you know that polar bears and humans have the same body temperature (about 98.6ºF)? Unfortunately, humans don’t have the same type of “blubber” that polar bears do. We also do not have as much fur, or hair, as they do to keep the heat. This is why we rely on things like sweaters, jackets, and blankets to keep us warm!
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