Hooked on Science: Chocolate Kiss race

We know not to touch a hot pan right out of the oven. It's all about how the heat is transferred from the pan to your hand, causing a burn. Using a popular chocolate treat and few materials from around the house, you can discover how some metals conduct heat better than others.

Materials

* 2 Hershey's Kisses

* 2 transparent cups

* Hot water

* 1 6-inch aluminum wire

* 1 6-inch copper wire

Instructions

STEP 1: Unwrap the Hershey's Kisses.

STEP 2: Screw the aluminum wire into the bottom of one of the Hershey's Kisses. Do not force the aluminum wire completely through the Hershey's Kiss.

STEP 3: Screw the copper wire into the bottom of the other Hershey's Kiss. Do not force the copper wire completely through the Hershey's Kiss.

STEP 4: Place the copper wire with the Hershey's Kiss side up into a transparent cup. Place the aluminum wire with the Hershey's Kiss side up into the other transparent cup.

STEP 5: Fill each transparent cup with hot water and observe.

Explanation

The heat from the water travels through the wires, to the Hershey's Kisses, which causes the chocolate melt. The heat traveled via conduction since the water and Hershey's Kisses were in direct contact with the wires. The copper wire conducted the heat faster when compared to the aluminum wire. Heat can travel from one place to another via conduction, convection, and radiation. Conduction is the transfer of heat by direct contact. Convection is the transfer of heat as the particles of a liquid or a gas move from one place to another in a circular motion. Radiation is the transfer of heat through air in the form of electromagnetic waves.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.