Final answer:
To design a travel cup with thermal insulators, use a double-walled cup with a vacuum, insulating materials, and conduct temperature tests. An example of a thermos bottle demonstrates the use of thermal insulating features such as vacuum, silvering, and a thin-walled long neck.
Step-by-step explanation:
To design, build, and test a travel cup that uses thermal insulators, you would need to consider the materials and structure of the cup. One option would be to use a double-walled cup with a vacuum in between the walls to minimize heat transfer through conduction and convection. Additionally, you could use insulating materials such as foam or ceramic to further reduce heat transfer.
To test the travel cup, you could fill it with a hot beverage and measure the temperature at regular intervals over a period of two hours. If the temperature remains relatively constant, it indicates that the cup is effectively insulating the beverage.
One example of a travel cup that uses thermal insulators is a thermos bottle, which consists of a double-walled glass or metal container with a vacuum in between. The vacuum eliminates heat transfer through conduction and convection, while the silvering of the walls reflects thermal radiation. The thin-walled long glass neck helps to minimize heat transfer by providing a small surface area for heat exchange. The rubber support, air layer, and stopper all contribute to reducing heat transfer as well.