SAMPLE POSTER

Research Question
Processed Data
Which is the most cost-effective way to boil water?

Introduction 400
Total
Cost (E-4
€)
In our project we test 3 different devices for boiling water and then comment on their cost 350
efficiency based on their power input (P) and the time (t) needed to boil 100 grams of water.
300
These three devices are: a boiler, a hot plate and a regular microwave oven. Each of these
electric devices requires a different power input. The process of temperature monitoring was 250
conducted with a digital thermometer of high precision, while the process of time measuring
was conducted using a digital stopwatch. Based on the above, we were able to identify the exact 200

time needed for the standard quantity of water to reach 100° in the 3 aforementioned electric 150
heating devices. Throughout the experiment we made sure, prior to taking time measurements,
that the initial temperature of the water was 25°. This way, the change in temperature (ΔΤ) for 100
water was the same in each case. This procedure was carried out 6 times for each device. Energy (E+3 J)
50
Finally, since we are aware of the power input, temperature change, time of heating and mass of
water, we are able to determine the energy consumed and, hence, the total cost of the heating. Time taken (s)
0
Boiler
Hot Plate Total Cost (E-4 €)
Microwave Oven

where 0,08761 is the cost in € per kWh

Conclusion
Raw Data The boiler’s high power input justifies the fact that it is this device which boils water faster. However,
from an economic perspective, the microwave oven is the most cost-effective device. The reason this is
Device Power Input (W) Time taken (s) that this device takes only slightly more time to boil water than the boiler, but still spends less energy. This
could be explained by the fact that the microwave oven has a lower power input.. Moreover, the data
Boiler 2200 55 shows that the hot plate requires more time to boil water and is the most expensive device to use. To sum
Hot Plate 450 390 up, microwave ovens win the day!

Microwave Oven 1200 84

Limitations
• We have to assume that the power supply is constant.
•We assumed that the hot plate experiment was a closed system and, therefore, there was no thermal
energy transfer between the transience and the hot plate.
•In this laboratory investigation we do not take into consideration the initial investment needed to buy
each of these devices when commenting on the final cost.
•Electric equipment wears off as time goes by. This means that the devices’ efficiency gradually decreases.
As a team we were not aware of the time period the devices were purchased or manufactured. This factor
may have negatively influenced the accuracy of our results and the validity of our comments.