Brit Donohoo

20 October 2015
NSCI 232
Professor Hartshorn
Portfolio Reflection on Personal Growth Lava Lamp
Question: How Does Energy Flow Through the Lava Lamp?
Prior Knowledge:
I only have a few clues to how a lava lamp works. I know you have to plug them in,
which means that they need electricity. I notice that it is fill with water, but I do not know what
the round fluid-like things floating up and down are made of. I know they are hot and can even
feel the heat on the lamp. This means that the lava lamp needs heat to work, which comes from
the electricity. That is all I know since I never had a lava lamp before anywhere, not even in my
bedroom. I did wanted one though. I also never did an experiment in class about how the energy
flows through the lava lamp. We did do another experiment on heat transfer, but I dont
remember what it was. I think this was because the school, like many other people, thought that a
fire would start if the teachers used them to demonstrate heat transfer. This is a misconception
though. Lava lamps were not made well before, and yes, you do have to watch out for homemade
ones, but as long as you check to make sure that the lava lamp contains a sticker, they are safe. I
forgot what the sticker is, but it means that the lava lamp was made securely so that it could not
start a fire.
After:
Once my group got together and observed the lava lamp, we began understanding the
energy transfer. On the very bottom of the lamp, there is a light bulb. Above it is a piece of metal
used as the light bulbs conductor, a device used to create conduction, the transfer of heat through
matter. Heat is kinetic energy that causes the molecules to go faster depending on how much is
presented. That means that the hotter the heat is, the faster the molecules are. Above the

Brit Donohoo
20 October 2015
NSCI 232
Professor Hartshorn
conductor is wax that absorbs the heat through convection, the transfer of heat through
movement. Because the heat exceeds the capacity of the molecules of the wax, a piece of it
separates and rises, beginning to go to the top of the lamp through the water. The lamp is fill with
the water because it is capable of taking in and releasing heat without raising or decreasing the
temperature heavily. It goes to the top of the lamp through radiation, heat waves that transfer
energy through space. At the top of the lamp lies another piece of wax that came up there the
same way. It has cooled down since it is far away from the light bulb, the source of heat. When
the two waxes meet, the younger one (the wax that was formed second) bumps the older one (the
wax that formed first), causing the older one to begin falling to the bottom, and eventually,
coming back together with the rest of the wax as the molecules reunite.
Compare & Rank:
The first activity we did in the classroom was get into our table groups and observe the
lava lamp, finding the pattern and making our best guesses about how it operates. We got a white
board and drew a diagram of it as well as the pattern that we found within it. After every group
was finished, a person from each group presented their white board. When every representative
of a group presented their white board, we got to relax and watch a video of Bill Nye. The video
was about heat and how it transfers. We learned about radiation, convection, conduction, and
how objects can work either as conductors or non-conductors. Once the video was paused, we
revised our diagrams. When every group was finished, each one presented what they fixed on
their diagrams. Lastly, we read an article about heat transfer together in class as well as discussed
it.

Brit Donohoo
20 October 2015
NSCI 232
Professor Hartshorn
While I did enjoy figuring out how the lava lamp works first and revising the diagram
later, my favorite activity was watching Bill Nye. His videos always bring out my inner child and
bring back those memories I have as a young child in the classroom. As I stated many times,
science has not only been my worse subject, but the one that I enjoy the least (though earth
science does interest me). However, whenever one of my science teachers played a Bill Nye
video, I always perked up and actually listen to science with fascination. I also have the same
effect for the Magic School Bus series. Anyways, like before, I like the introduction activity
about just thinking how the lava lamp does work because it actually requires us to think
critically. Today, I dont think teachers do this or if they do, they either dismiss a students
answers or ignore it because it is not the response she or he wanted. They believe there is only
one right answer. This discourages students to not only think, but to tell others what they think.
Making us think and present our thoughts to the classroom makes us remember that we must do
the same with our future students. Like always, I enjoy it when we get to revise anything whether
it is on a paper or diagram. Our group felt great because when we went back to it, we only had to
add four terms to it. It made us realize that we knew more than we thought we did, another thing
that we should do for our future students. Lastly, the article was great, especially since we just
read what was necessary, not the whole thing just because we feel like we have to. It makes us
pay more attention because we know that what we are reading is not only important for class, but
the upcoming quizzes, tests, and projects. Overall, the lava lamps are the best for children and
teenagers to learn about heat transfer from. Now I plan on buying one myself!