Cloud in a Bottle
Clouds form when water vapor cools down. Warm moist air in the
atmosphere rises and the pressure reduces as it goes higher. As
pressure reduces it gets colder. Eventually the water vapor cools
enough to form clouds. In this experiment we will make a cloud in
a bottle.
Materials
- Clean Clear 1 Liter Plastic Bottle
- Bicycle Pump with Ball Inflater Stem
- Matches
- Watches
- Wine Bottle Cork
- Some Duct Tape
Process:
- Cut a wine bottle cork about 1/2 or so and stick the bike pump
ball inflater needle all the way through so it sticks out the other
end. Test the cork in your plastic bottle mouth to make sure it
makes a good seal. If you need it add a couple wraps of duct tape
around the cork so it fits in the mouth of the plastic bottle, but
provides a good seal. Then attach the inflater stem to your bike
pump.
- Fill the bottom of the plastic bottle with warm water. Only use
enough warm water to cover the bottom don't over-fill.
- Add smoke particles to the bottle. To do this light a match and let
is catch fire for two or three seconds.
- Give the match a gentle blow and extinguish the flame. Then
quickly hold the match inside the bottle letting as much smoke as
possible inside the bottle.
- Stick the wine cork inflater stem assembly into the mouth of the
plastic bottle. Start pumping air inside. Give it a good 20 pumps or
so to increase the air pressure inside the bottle. The smoke
should disappear as the pressure increases.
- Pull the cork out of the bottle. And wham! You have made an
instant cloud in a bottle.
The Science:
Invisible water molecules are always present in the air that
surrounds us. That is what we call water vapor. As they linger
around in the earths atmosphere the do not normally stick to other
particles also in the air.
Pumping air inside the bottle compresses the molecules. When
we pull the cork out, we are permitting the air molecules to expand.
When the air molecules expand their temperature lowers and they
get colder. As they cool, the molecules start sticking together
(water vapor, air molecules and smoke particles). This
combination allows small water drops to form. Just like the clouds
in the sky. Except water vapor in the sky finds pollution and other
particles to stick on.
atmosphere rises and the pressure reduces as it goes higher. As
pressure reduces it gets colder. Eventually the water vapor cools
enough to form clouds. In this experiment we will make a cloud in
a bottle.
Materials
- Clean Clear 1 Liter Plastic Bottle
- Bicycle Pump with Ball Inflater Stem
- Matches
- Watches
- Wine Bottle Cork
- Some Duct Tape
Process:
- Cut a wine bottle cork about 1/2 or so and stick the bike pump
ball inflater needle all the way through so it sticks out the other
end. Test the cork in your plastic bottle mouth to make sure it
makes a good seal. If you need it add a couple wraps of duct tape
around the cork so it fits in the mouth of the plastic bottle, but
provides a good seal. Then attach the inflater stem to your bike
pump.
- Fill the bottom of the plastic bottle with warm water. Only use
enough warm water to cover the bottom don't over-fill.
- Add smoke particles to the bottle. To do this light a match and let
is catch fire for two or three seconds.
- Give the match a gentle blow and extinguish the flame. Then
quickly hold the match inside the bottle letting as much smoke as
possible inside the bottle.
- Stick the wine cork inflater stem assembly into the mouth of the
plastic bottle. Start pumping air inside. Give it a good 20 pumps or
so to increase the air pressure inside the bottle. The smoke
should disappear as the pressure increases.
- Pull the cork out of the bottle. And wham! You have made an
instant cloud in a bottle.
The Science:
Invisible water molecules are always present in the air that
surrounds us. That is what we call water vapor. As they linger
around in the earths atmosphere the do not normally stick to other
particles also in the air.
Pumping air inside the bottle compresses the molecules. When
we pull the cork out, we are permitting the air molecules to expand.
When the air molecules expand their temperature lowers and they
get colder. As they cool, the molecules start sticking together
(water vapor, air molecules and smoke particles). This
combination allows small water drops to form. Just like the clouds
in the sky. Except water vapor in the sky finds pollution and other
particles to stick on.
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