Arctic Series - Beluga Whale - STEM Challenge

Beluga Whale Blubber Glove

Beluga whales spend most of their lives in arctic and subarctic water, they are also mammals which means they are warm-blooded and they need a way to protect themselves from the cold. How do whales and other animals stay warm in very cold water and climates? Find out with this science demonstration

Materials:

• Container of ice water or snow

• Blubber - Shortening (like Crisco) or petroleum jelly (like Vaseline)

• 4 recycled bags

• Timer

• Thermometer

• Hand towel

The experiment

1. Place one bag inside another and fill the space in between the two bags with a thick layer of ‘blubber’. Fold the inner bag over the outer bag to seal them and keep the blubber inside.  There will be an opening for your hand, this will be the test glove.

2. Make a “control” glove by putting the other two bags inside each other. This will give you the same amount of plastic, but with no extra insulation shielding your hand from the cold water.

3. Go outside and collect a container of snow or fill the container at the sink with ice cold water. Make sure it’s deep enough to submerge your hand.

3. Put your hand in the control glove (no insulation) and stick it in the ice water. Using the stopwatch timer, see how long you can keep it in there before it gets too cold. Record your results. Use the hand towel to dry off the outside of the control glove, if necessary.

5. Now put the other hand in the test glove (with insulation) and submerge it in the water. Once again, use the stopwatch timer to time how long you can keep it in the ice water. Record your results.

Were you able to keep your hand in the ice water longer using the control glove or the test glove? What was the time difference?

6.  Now, put a thermometer in the control glove and put the end in the water. Record the temperature.

7. Repeat step 6 with the test glove. What is the difference between the two temperatures?

Although whales migrate between warmer and cooler waters, other animals, like seals, sea lions, penguins and polar bears, spend their entire lives in bitterly cold temperatures.   

These animals have a thick layer of fat under their skin called blubber.

The blubber keeps them warm and also stores nutrients their body that they can use when they are in environments where there isn’t much food.

The fat molecules in Vaseline and shortening make them act a little like blubber to give us an understanding of how it works.

Blubber helps keep animals warm because it acts as an insulator.

An insulator slows down the transfer of heat, keeping the animal’s body heat from escaping into the water and protecting it from the cold.

Can you think of any insulators you’ve used at home? For further study, repeat the blubber glove project using different materials as insulators.

Try using cotton balls, wool, sand, or feathers. Predict which substances you think will insulate well and why.