Let the jug of water stand in room temperature for about an hour
Measure some white granulated sugar at point scale reading just changes from 4 g to 5 g onto a teaspoon
Pour 200 g of water from the jug into a glass
If you have a thermometer, measure and note down the water temperature. If you don’t, you can still proceed
Start the timer when you add the sugar to the water
Stir with the spoon in time with the video ticking (100 stirs per minute)
When all the sugar has dissolved, record the time on the timer
Repeat using the hottest tap water possible take care not to scald yourself
Repeat using water from a cold tap that’s been running for at least a minute, so it’s as cold as it will get
Enter the results in the form below on this page
Thoughts, tips and information
SI measurement units
kilogram (kg) for mass
kelvin (K) for temperature
second (s) for timing
Challenge Topics
Measurement Science, Maths, Health
Which factors (control variables) cause people to get different results? (glass size, sugar amount and type, stirring speed and spoon shape…)
Hot water is heated to >60 °C to kill bacteria in the boiler. Water >42 °C may scald you.
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