Required Practical: Investigating Infrared Radiation (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway Science Suite)): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
6.2.5 Required Practical: Investigating Infrared Radiation
Infrared Radiation Required Practicals
Measuring the Amount of Infrared Radiation Emitted by Different Surfaces
Equipment:
- Leslie cube
- Heatproof mat
- Kettle (for hot water)
- Lid for the cube
- Infrared detector
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Procedure:
- Setup:
- Place the Leslie cube on a heatproof mat.
- Fill the cube with hot water from a kettle and place the lid on top.
- Measurement:
- Use the infrared detector to measure the amount of infrared radiation emitted from each surface of the cube (shiny black, shiny silver, matt black, matt white).
- Ensure that the detector is the same distance from each surface for a fair test.
- Recording Results:
- Draw a chart to show the amount of infrared radiation emitted from each type of surface.
Measuring the Amount of Infrared Radiation Absorbed by Different Surfaces
Equipment:
- Infrared heater
- Two metal plates (one with a shiny metallic surface, one with a matt black surface)
- Vaseline
- Drawing pins
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Procedure: 4. Setup:
- Place an infrared heater with two metal plates on either side.
- One plate should have a shiny metallic surface, while the other should have a matt black surface.
- Attach a drawing pin using Vaseline on the outside surface of each plate.
- Measurement:
- Switch on the heater and start timing.
- Observe that the temperature of the metal plates increases due to the absorption of infrared radiation.
- Record the time it takes for the vaseline to melt and for the drawing pins to fall off.
Results (in order of most to least infrared radiation absorption):
- Matt black - most infrared radiation absorbed
- Shiny black
- White
- Shiny metallic
