Interpreting representations – heat pump cycle
The activity requires students to reflect on their understanding of the science ideas represented in the diagram and consider how the representation supports them to understand these ideas through its use of scientific conventions and terms.
By the end of this activity, students should be able to:
identify the key science ideas in a scientific diagram
describe how the diagram supports the science ideas through its use of scientific conventions and terms
use information from the scientific diagram to identify the key science ideas
write a scientific explanation of how a heat pump works using the key science ideas represented in the diagram.
Basic heat pump cycle
On the evaporator side of the heat pump, heat energy is taken in, converting the working fluid into gas. The condenser side liquefies the gas, releasing heat energy to the surroundings as the gas condenses back to liquid.
Download the Word file (see link below) for:
introduction/background notes
what you need
what to do
extension idea
student handout.
Nature of Science
Scientists use a range of conventions to represent scientific ideas, and students need to be conversant with these to make meaning of this information. As part of the development of student ability to communicate in science, teaching and learning must expose students to a range of scientific representations.
Related content
Discover more about how heat pumps function in the article Heat pumps and energy transfer.
Learn about the research undertaken by Dr Eric Scharpf dealing with heat pump efficiencies used in the timber industry.
Useful link
Find out more about the science capabilities on TKI.
