Cloud in a Bottle
Make a little weather of your own with a cloud in a bottle. Clouds form when warm, particle-rich air meets cool, moist air. This science project for kids on states of matter can help you understand just how the process works.
What You'll Need:
- Table
- Candle
- Match
- Clear glass two-liter bottle
Step 1: On a cool day with little or no wind, head for your backyard and find a table.
Step 2: Have a child light a candle, with help from an adult.
Step 3: Turn the two-liter glass bottle upside down, and hold the candle inside the mouth of the jar for about 10 seconds. Don't use a plastic jar. The mouth of a plastic jug could melt.
Step 4: Once the bottle's mouth has cooled a little, form a seal around the bottle with your mouth and blow. Once you pull your mouth away, you should see a cloud form inside the bottle -- just like in the skies above your home.
Learn about surface tension on the next page, and have fun blowing bubbles of different shapes and sizes.
