An industrial chemist investigates how wrapping different numbers of layers of reflective foil insulation around a cylindrical reaction vessel containing a hot chemical mixture changes its cooling rate.
The chemist writes this plan for their investigation:
State the independent variable in the chemist's investigation.
State the dependent variable in the chemist's investigation.
The table below shows the chemist's results:
| Number of layers of reflective foil | Final temperature (∘C^\circ\text{C}∘C) | Temperature decrease (∘C^\circ\text{C}∘C) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 54 | 36 |
| 1 | 28 | |
| 2 | 22 | |
| 3 | 17 | |
| 4 | 17 | |
| 5 | 17 |
Complete the table by calculating the missing final temperatures.
Describe the relationship between the number of layers of reflective foil and the temperature decrease of the mixture.
Suggest how the chemist could improve the reliability of their results.
