MENTOR TEACHING · THERMAL ENERGY | Classroom copy · 1 October 2026
a fresh later check
CONSTRUCTED FICTIONAL CASE. New data for reasoning, not a measured classroom result.
A new class compared a dry redesign Z with reference Y using identical cups and 150 mL each in 22 °C air. Suitable probes passed the stated consistency check. Their starts were Y = 12.0 °C and Z = 14.0 °C. After 10 min they read Y = 15.0 °C and Z = 16.0 °C. The class wrote: “Z is better because it rose only 2 °C.” They then read the same cups at 15 and 20 min and claimed three trials.
Constructed teaching data: these values were invented for this activity, not collected in an experiment.
| Setup | Start °C | After 10 min °C |
|---|---|---|
| Y | 12.0 | 15.0 |
| Z | 14.0 | 16.0 |
1.Calculate the 10-minute rises. Assess both claims and propose the next usable trial.
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