Science of Geothermal – Geothermal Conductivity Lab – Student

Summary

Students measure how heat moves through sand, soil, clay, and gravel using two temperature probes, then graph their results and compare rates of heat transfer across materials. Analysis questions connect experimental findings to how engineers select sites for geothermal energy systems. Includes hypothesis writing, data collection, graphing, and a full set of conclusion questions. Designed for high school earth science or APES as part of a geothermal or heat transfer unit.