Water Cycle Experiments

Water Cycle Introduction Experiment - Lesson 1

Materials: water drop
Plastic cup, tape, water

Procedure:
-Put a plastic cup inside the bag and tape in place so it won't move around.
-Tape (top of the bag) the bag in a window so the bag is making a diamond shape (not square).
-Pour water into the cup about half full.
-Seal the bag.
-Watch the bag over the next few days. You will start to see a fog at the top and water pooling at the bottom tip of the bag.

Evaporation Experiment - Lesson 3

Materials: sun
2 jars, aluminum foil or a lid, water

Procedure:
-Fill the 2 jars about half full of water (each jar should have the same amount).
-Make a line on the outside of the jars so you can see where the water level started.
-Cover one jar with a lid (or foil)
-Leave both jars in the window (sunshine) for a few days.
-Check the water levels and see what happened.

* Note: The change from water to water vapor is called evaporation.

Cloud In A Jar Experiment - Lesson 7

Outcome:
Students will see fog in a jar. cloud

Supplies Needed:
Aluminum foil, salt, large glass jar, wooden matches, hot water, ice cubes

Procedure:
-Review cloud types
-Explain objective that they will see a cloud in a jar.
-Pour 2 cups of hot water into the jar. Swish the water around to warm the glass.
-Loosely seal the jar with the foil, pushing the foil into the jar slightly to make room for the ice cubes on top.
-Place the ice cubes in the indentation in the foil and add a good sized pinch of salt to the top of the ice.
-You will start to see the water vapor rise from the hot water and condense on the foil. You may also start seeing droplets fall from the foil back into the water.
-Discuss how this demonstrates the water cycle.
-Lift the foil and light several matches. Allow them to burn for 3 seconds before dropping them into the water. Replace the foil on the jar.
-Talk about how it works (the water in the jar gathered around the smoke particles just like the water in clouds gather around dust and particles in the air. This is also why it sometimes it smells differently outside after it rains).