Book 1, Question 105 · Video
Why Is a Fridge Cold? It Moves Heat Out!
A fridge does not make cold, it moves heat out of the box. A special fluid carries the heat away, and the heat dumps out through the coils at the back so the inside stays cold. Tha
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why is a fridge cold?
The Big Idea
Surprise! A fridge doesn't make cold. It's a heat mover! It grabs heat from the food inside, and carries it away. When heat leaves, what's left feels cold! Let's see how it works, step by step!
A Fridge Moves Heat Out of the Box
Step one: a fridge moves heat out of the box. Everything, even milk and apples, holds some heat. The fridge pulls that heat out and sends it away, so the inside gets colder and colder.
A Special Fluid Carries the Heat
Step two: a special fluid carries the heat. This fluid is called a refrigerant. It flows through tubes in the walls, and soaks up heat like a sponge. A pump called a compressor squeezes the fluid, and keeps it moving round and round.
The Heat Dumps Out the Back Coils
Step three: the heat dumps out the back coils, so the inside stays cold. When the fluid reaches the coils on the back, it lets its heat go into the room. Then it flows back inside to grab more heat. Round and round it goes!
Inside a Fridge
Let's look closer! Inside, the cold fluid soaks up heat from your food and drinks. Then it travels to the coils on the back. And out goes the heat, into your kitchen air!
Quick Facts
Quick facts! The back of a fridge feels warm, because that's heat that left the food. Food stays fresh longer in the cold, because germs grow slowly. That soft humming sound? That's the compressor at work! Before fridges, people used big blocks of ice!
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, find the coils behind or under your fridge. Carefully feel the air near them. Is it warm or cool? Now feel the air inside the fridge, and compare. That warm air is heat that came out of your food! Heat on the move!
Outro
A fridge is cold because a special fluid carries heat out of the box, and dumps it out the back. Stay cool and curious! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!