There is no need to look up to the sky to see the clouds when you can make a fun one at home! All you need is a glass jar or plastic bottle (such as a soda bottle) and some common household items. Try this simple experiment to make a cloud in a bottle.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Create a Cloud in a Glass Jar
Step 1. Gather the materials
Prepare everything you need for the science experiment before starting. Here's what you need to have on hand:
- A large glass jar (one liter);
- Matches;
- Rubber glove;
- Rubber band;
- Torch or lamp;
- Food coloring;
- Waterfall.
Step 2. Pour the boiling water into the jar
Use enough to cover the bottom of the bowl; you just need a small amount that can evaporate.
- Shake the liquid inside the jar to wet the inner walls.
- Use oven mitts, as boiling water makes the container very hot.
Step 3. Slip the rubber glove over the jar opening
Fingers must be pointing downwards, inside the container; in this way, you create an airtight seal.
Step 4. Try putting your hand into the glove
Then, move it upwards, so as to pull the fingers of the glove. You will find that the water does not undergo any change.
Step 5. Light a match and drop it into the bowl
Take the glove out of the opening just for a moment, light the match (or ask an adult to do it for you) and put it in the jar. Stretch the glove back over the container, making sure the fingers are pointing down.
The water blows out the match and as a result smoke forms in the jar
Step 6. Put your hand back into the glove
Insert it and then pull it out again; this time there should be a cloud in the container, and when you put your hand inside the glove, the cloud should disappear.
This phenomenon lasts 5-10 minutes, after which the particles settle on the bottom of the container
Step 7. Illuminate the jar with a flashlight
In this way, you are able to see the cloud better.
Step 8. Understand the mechanism behind the phenomenon
The air inside the jar is rich in hot water vapor molecules. The air is compressed by the glove, since it occupies a certain volume inside the container. By taking the fingers of the glove out of the jar, you allow some space to be freed up and the internal air cools down. The smoke generated by the match acts as a vehicle to which the water particles can bond; adhere to those of smoke condensing into a cloud of small drops.
When the fingers of the glove re-enter the jar, the air heats up again and the cloud disappears
Step 9. Repeat the experiment with colored clouds
Add a few drops of food coloring to the water at the bottom of the jar. Cover the container, drop the lit match inside and watch the clouds of different colors emerge.
Method 2 of 3: Using an Aerosol to Create Clouds
Step 1. Gather the materials
Prepare everything you need for the science experiment before starting. You need to get these materials:
- A large glass jar (one liter) with a lid;
- An aerosol (hairspray or air freshener);
- Torch or lamp;
- Waterfall;
- Dark color paper and flashlight.
Step 2. Pour the boiling water into the jar
Add enough to cover the bottom (about 2 cm) and shake it to heat the entire container; in this way, you avoid condensation on the glass walls.
The container is very hot. Use oven mitts to handle it
Step 3. Put ice on the lid
Turn the latter over so that it looks like a small bowl, place two ice cubes on top and place it on the opening of the jar. At this point, you should notice some condensation inside.
Step 4. Spray the product into the container
Take a product such as hairspray or an air freshener. Lift the "frozen" lid and quickly spray a small amount of substance into the jar; replace the lid immediately to trap the spray inside.
Step 5. Place a piece of dark colored paper behind the bowl
This way, you can create some contrast and see the cloud forming inside the jar.
You can also use a flashlight to illuminate the container
Step 6. Remove the lid and touch the cloud
When you open the jar, the cloud begins to float outside and you can cross it with your fingers.
Step 7. Understand the basic mechanism
When you pour boiling water into the jar, you create an environment with humid and warm air; the ice on the lid cools the air as it rises. This water vapor returns to liquid as it cools, but it needs a surface to condense on. When you spray the aerosol inside the jar, you offer the steam the surface it needs; its molecules adhere to those of the product and condense forming a cloud of droplets.
The clouds turn inside the jar because the contained air moves: the warm one tends to rise, while the cold one moves downwards. You can see the movement of the air, as the cloud is spinning
Method 3 of 3: Use a Plastic Drink Bottle to Create the Clouds
Step 1. Gather the materials
Prepare everything you need before starting the experiment. Here is a list:
- Plastic bottle with cap. A two-liter soda bottle is perfect for this experiment. Remember to remove the label and choose a transparent model, as you need to be able to see the cloud inside.
- Matches;
- Waterfall.
Step 2. Pour the hot water into the bottle
Use the hot tap water and pour in enough to cover the bottom of the bowl (about 2 cm).
- Do not pour boiling water into the plastic bottle, as it could deform the material and ruin the experiment; however, the liquid should be very hot, around 55 ° C.
- Shake the water for a while to warm the sides of the bottle.
Step 3. Light the match
Blow it off after a couple of seconds; ask an adult to help you with this step.
Step 4. Put the burnt match in the bottle
Tilt the container with one hand to insert the match head through the opening. Let the smoke fill the bottle until the match seems almost gone and eventually throw it away.
Step 5. Screw the cap to the container
Take the bottle by the neck, so as not to squeeze the sides before the cap is fully tightened; in this way, you prevent the air and smoke from escaping.
Step 6. Squeeze the sides of the bottle firmly
Repeat this three or four times; wait a few seconds and squeeze it again, this time holding the pressure longer.
Step 7. Observe the formation of mist in the vessel
At this point, you can notice your personal cloud in the bottle! By applying pressure to the container, you force the water molecules to compress; when you release the grip, the air expands reducing the temperature. As the air cools, the particles stick together more easily, condensing into tiny droplets around the smoke molecules.
This experiment reproduces the process of forming clouds in the sky. Clouds are made up of water droplets that have bonded to particles of dust, smoke, salt or ash
Advice
- Experiment with how many times and how hard you can squeeze the bottle.
- If you don't have any matches, you can use a lighter and a piece of paper or an incense stick to make the smoke you need.
- Try adding a few drops of denatured alcohol to the water (even a hard alcohol is fine) to make the cloud more visible.
