Warmer or Colder

Which is colder, the top shelf of a side by side fridge or a top shelf of a normal refrigerator?

Question

Research

I know that heat rises, but I also know there is a vent that blows cold air down into the side by side refrigerator. So I wondered, which shelf is the coldest in my refrigerators. After researching

online, I found out that the top shelf was the coldest. Then I wondered if a different kind of refrigerator was the same. The

safe range for a refrigerator is 32°F to 38°F. Since EVERYBODY has refrigerators this information could be useful when buying a new refrigerator or setting the thermostat in their

refrigerator.

Hypothesis

The top shelf of side by side refrigerator are colder than the top shelf of normal refrigerator.

Abstract

Which is colder, the top shelf of a side by side refrigerator or a top shelf of a normal refrigerator? The purpose was to see if

heat rising would effect the temperature at the top of the refrigerator more in a normal refrigerator, than a side by side.

Temperatures were recorded at the top shelf of both types of refrigerators. The data supports that the top shelf of side by

side refrigerators are colder than the top shelf of normal refrigerator.

Experiment - Materials

2 side by side refrigerators 2 refrigerators with a freezer above the refrigerator “normal”

Notebook to record results Thermometer

clock

Experiment - Procedure

1. Find two refrigerators of each type. In this experiment two side by side refrigerators and two normal refrigerators (where the freezer is above the fridge) were used.

2. Label the refrigerators “a,” “b,” “c,” and “d.” 3. Put a thermometer on the very top shelf of refrigerator “a” and then leave it in there for one hour. Do not open refrigerator for the hour.

Experiment - Procedure continued...

4. After one hour open the refrigerator and read the thermometer , then write the temperature down in the notebook.

5. Repeat steps 3 through 4 for fridges “b, c, and d.”

6. Make data table to show the results.

Data

Refrigerator Type Location Temperature

a Side by side My house upstairs 21°F

b Side by side Grandma 30°F

c Normal My house downstairs

40°F

d Normal Aunt Tricia 60°F

Conclusion

The experiment supports this hypothesis. The top shelf of side

by side fridges are colder than the top shelf of normal fridges. I

believe this is true because the air vents are often near the top shelf. Next time I will experiment on different brands of side by side

refrigerators.

Extra

Because of this project I helped my Aunt Tricia discover that she needed to turn down the temperature in her fridge. Temperatures as high as hers could cause food poisoning. I believe hers is higher because she opens it a lot during the day.