Required Pratical – Simulation of Infrared Radiation (Emission and Absorption)
What the simulation does
It is a 3D interactive Leslie cube practical covering the AQA required practical on infrared radiation, with two investigations the pupil can switch between.
In the emission investigation, a pupil taps an electric kettle that automatically lifts its lid, pours boiling water into the hollow metal cube, and reseals. The cube then rotates each of its four faces (matte black, shiny black, white, shiny silver) toward a fixed infrared detector, keeping the distance constant so the test stays fair. Each reading appears on the detector and fills a results table. Invisible infrared is shown as glowing wavy arrows whose density matches how much each surface emits, so matte black clearly radiates most and shiny silver least.
In the absorption investigation, an infrared lamp warms a matte black plate and a shiny silver plate placed equal distances away. A liquid thermometer clipped to the back of each plate shows a rising red column plus a digital readout, so pupils watch the black plate heat far faster and higher than the silver one.
Both investigations end with an interactive conclusion question reinforcing that dark matte surfaces are the best emitters and absorbers, while shiny light surfaces are the worst, and that a good emitter is also a good absorber. A full accessibility menu (themes, overlays, text scaling, reduce motion, colour vision filters, pattern coded surfaces, buttons only mode) supports SEND learners.
Suggested class activity (about 20 minutes)
Give pupils a blank results table and have them predict the order of the four faces from best to worst emitter before running the emission investigation. They record each reading, then draw a quick bar chart comparing the surfaces. Next they run the absorption investigation and note the final temperature of each plate. Finish with a short discussion or exit question linking the two results, asking why a house radiator is often painted matte black rather than shiny silver, and why a thermos flask is shiny. This connects the practical to real world energy transfer and checks the good emitter equals good absorber idea.