Fun Weather Experiments for Children
If you are looking for fun, yet educational activities for you and your family, this is the place for you.
Each of these experiments should be done with a parent's approval and guidance.
Table of Contents
Barometer
A barometer measures air pressure
You will need the following:A glass or beaker with straight (vertical) sides
A ruler (12 inch)
Clear tape
One foot of clear plastic tubing (or a clear straw)
A stick of chewing gum
Water
The glass and ruler -
Begin by standing the ruler straight up in the glass and holding it against the side. Tape the ruler to the inside of the glass. Make sure that you can see the numbers on the ruler.
The plastic tube -
Stand the plastic tube against the ruler in the glass. Make sure that the tube is not touching the bottom of the glass by positioning the tube up a half inch on the ruler. Secure the tube by taping it to the ruler.
The gum and water -
Chew the stick of gum so that it is soft. While you're chewing the gum, fill the glass with water, about half way to the top of the glass. Use the plastic tube like a straw and draw the water half way up the tube. Use your tongue to trap the water in the tube. Quickly stick the gum to the top of the tube to seal it.
Make a mark on the ruler to record where the water level is in the tube. Each time you notice a change in the water level, make another mark. You'll notice, over time, that the water level rises and falls. Pay attention to the change in weather as the water level changes.
Does the water rise or fall when it is about to rain?
Explanation:
The water in the tube rises and falls because of the air pressure on the water in the glass.
As the air pressure increases (meaning more atmospheric pressure) on the water in the glass, water is pushed up into the tube, causing the water level to rise in the tube.
When the air pressure decreases on the water in the glass, some of the water will move down out of the tube, causing the water level to fall.
The change in barometric pressure will help you to forecast the weather.
Decreasing air pressure often indicates the approach of a low pressure area, which often brings clouds and precipitation. Increasing air pressure often means that a high pressure area is approaching, bringing with it clearing or fair weather.
This plastic bottle was closed at approximately 2,000 m altitude, then brought back to sea level. It was crushed by air pressure.
Video: How to make a barometer
Hygrometer
A hygrometer measures humidity (amount of moisture in the air)
You will need the following:A piece of wood or flat, hard foam (about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide)
A flat piece of plastic (about 3 inches long and 3 inches wide) thin enough that you can cut
2 small nails
3 long strands of human hair (about 8 inches long)
A dime
Glue
Tape
Hammer
Scissors (able to cut plastic)
The plastic, dime, glue, tape, and a nail -
Cut the piece of plastic into a triangular shape. Then, tape the dime onto the plastic, near the point.
Poke one of the nails through the plastic pointer, near the base of the triangle. Wiggle the nail until the pointer moves freely and loosely around the nail.
A bit of hair and glue -
On the plastic pointer, between the dime and the nail hole, glue the hair strands to the plastic.
The piece of wood, a nail, and the hair -Position the pointer on the wood or foam base about three quarters of the way down the side (Refer to picture at right). Attach the nail to the base. The pointer must be able to turn easily around the nail. Attach the other nail to the base about one to two inches from the top of the base, in line with the pointer.
Pull the hair strands straight and tight so that the pointer points parallel to the ground. Make sure the point of the pointer is perpendicular (like a T) to the hair. The hair should hang perfectly vertical and the pointer should point perfectly horizontal.
Glue and the hair -
Glue the ends of the hair to the nail. If the hair is too long, trim it down.
Explanation:
The cells in the human hair will indicate the level of moisture in the air by expanding and contracting.
When the air is moist, the hair will expand and lengthen, making the pointer point down. When the air is dry, the hair will contract and shorten, making the pointer point up.
You can make your hygrometer observations each day. You should make a mark to indicate where the pointer points. After a while, you will be able to see the humidity patterns that will help you forecast the weather.
Anemometer
An anemometer measures wind speed
An anemometer is a device that tells you how fast the wind is blowing. A real anemometer will be able to accurately measure how fast the wind is blowing. However, yours will give you only approximation (not as accurately) of the wind speed.You will need the following:
5 3-5 ounce paper cups
2 Straight plastic straws (any color)
1 Straight pin or push pin
1 Pencil with eraser (larger the eraser, the better)
Paper hole punch
A small stapler
A pad of paper (to record wind "speeds")
A marker (to write on a cup)
Scissors
Ruler
Paper cups, paper punch, and a ruler -
Take four of the paper cups. Using the paper punch, punch one hole in each cup, about a half inch below the rim. Use the ruler, if you need to measure it.
With the fifth cup, punch a hole in the bottom center it. Next, punch four equally spaced holes about a quarter inch below the rim. This will be referred to as the 4-hole cup.
The punched cups, straws, and the stapler -
Take one of the four cups and push a straw through the hole. Fold the end of the straw, and staple it to the side of the cup across from the hole. Repeat this process for another 1-hole cup and the second straw.
Slide one cup and straw assembly through two opposite holes in the cup with four holes. Push another 1-hole cup onto the end of the straw just pushed through the 4-hole cup. Bend the straw and staple it to the 1-hole cup, making certain that the cup faces in the opposite direction from the first cup.
Repeat this procedure using the other cup and straw assembly and the remaining 1-hole cup.
Align the four cups so that their open ends face in the same direction (either clockwise or counterclockwise) around the center cup. Push the straight pin through the two straws where they intersect. Push the eraser end of the pencil through the bottom hole in the center cup. Push the pin into the end of the pencil eraser as far as it will go.
Your anemometer is ready!
Outside, and a marker -Take the anemometer outside.
Your anemometer should rotate with the wind. It need not be pointed into the wind to spin.
Make a small, yet visible mark on one of the cups. By seeing the mark as the anemometer spins, you will be able to count the revolutions.
Outside, pad of paper, a pencil -
Record the number of times that cup makes a complete revolution (a complete cirle) around the vertical-axis (pencil) in a minute. This number will be the revolutions per minute or RPM.
Record your results on this data collection sheet.
Try this at different times in a day or on different days.
Record the wind conditions such as: no wind, light winds, medium wings, heavy winds, very heavy winds.
Do you notice a pattern?
Does the anemometer spin faster in the morning, afternoon or evening?
Is it more windy when there is a storm approaching?
Explanation:
An anemometer is a device for measuring wind speed, and is one instrument used in a weather station. The term is derived from the Greek word anemos, meaning wind.
The simplest type of anemometer is the cup anemometer, invented (1846) by Dr. John Thomas Romney Robinson, of Armagh Observatory. It consisted of four hemispherical cups each mounted on one end of four horizontal arms, which in turn were mounted at equal angles to each other on a vertical shaft. The air flow past the cups in any horizontal direction turned the cups in a manner that was proportional to the wind speed. Therefore, counting the turns of the cups over a set time period produced the average wind speed for a wide range of speeds. On an anemometer with four cups it is easy to see that since the cups are arranged symmetrically on the end of the arms, the wind always has the hollow of one cup presented to it and is blowing on the back of the cup on the opposite end of the cross. Reference: Wikipedia
A hemispherical cup anemometer of the type invented in 1846 by Dr. John Thomas Romney Robinson.
Distance of Lightning
How far away is the thunderstorm?
You will need the following:One thunderstorm
A watch (preferably a stop watch) or the ability to count
The ability to divide numbers
It takes only three steps!
1. After you see a flash of lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear the thunder.
How many seconds did it take?
2. For every 5 seconds counted, the lightning is one mile away.
3. Divide the number of seconds you count by 5 to get the number of miles.
Example:
10 seconds would be 2 miles away
18 seconds would be 3.6 miles away
Why do you see the lightning before hearing the thunder?
If you answered; light (from the lightning) travels faster than sound (from the thunder), you're correct!
What causes thunder?
Thunder is caused by lightning. When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground it actually opens up a small "hole" through the air, called a channel. Once the lightning is gone the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder.
See where lightning is happening right now in the USA! Click here
*More about thunderstorms
Make Your Own Lightning
Makre your own "lightning"
You will need the following:A small piece of wool fabric
An aluminum pie pan
Styrofoam plate
A pencil with a new eraser
1 thumbtack
Thumbtack, aluminum pie pan, the pencil -
Turn the aluminum pie pan upside-down and push the thumbtack through the center.
Push the eraser end of the pencil into the thumbtack. The pencil should be standing straight up.
Put the styrofoam plate upside-down on a table. Very quickly, rub the bottom of the styrofoam plate with the wool for a minute or two.
Pick up the aluminum pie pan using the pencil as a handle and place it on top of the upside-down styrofoam plate that you were just rubbing with the wool.
Touch the aluminum pie pan with your finger. You should feel a shock. If you don't feel anything, try rubbing the styrofoam plate again with the wool.
Once you feel the shock, try turning the lights out before you touch the pan again.
What did you see?
Explanation:
The answer is; static electricity, which refers to "the accumulation of excess electric charge in a region with poor electrical conductivity (an insulator), such that the charge accumulation persists".
Lightning happens when the negative charges, which are called electrons, in the bottom of the cloud (or in this experiment your finger) are attracted to the positive charges, which are called protons, in the ground or in this experiment the aluminum pie pan. The spark that you had seen is like a miniature lightning bolt!
Tornado in a Jar
The purpose of this experiment is to observe how a vortex forms.You will need the following:
A mayonnaise type of jar (with lid, for less mess)
Water
Clear liquid dish soap
Vinegar
A pinch of glitter (optional)
Fill the jar 3/4 full of water.
Put in one teaspoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of dish soap.
Sprinkle in a small amount of glitter. *You can also use food coloring.
Close the lid and twist the jar to see a vortex like a tornado form. You can also use a spoon or twizzle stick to create the vortex (without the lid on, of course!).
Explanation:
As you twist the jar, the fluid toward the inside takes longer to get moving. After you stop rotating the jar, the fluid inside keeps spinning. A mini tornado can be seen for a few seconds when the outer fluid slows down and the inner fluids continue to spin rapidly.
*More about tornadoes
Slinky Tornado Maker
Amazon Price: $22.90 (as of 07/04/2009)
Making a Cloud in a Glass
You will need the following:A clear glass or similar see-through container
Warm water
Ice
Metal dish (or another flat object that transfers the cold well)
Place the ice into the metal dish. Wait for it to be really cold.
Pour a small amount of warm water into the bottom of the glass.
Place the cold plate on top of the glass.
Do you see a "cloud" forming?
You should see a "cloud" form near the top of the glass.
Explanation:
This is the way clouds form in the real world. Warm, moist air like that in your glass, is cooled (cold plate). When the warm, moist air is cooled it condenses into tiny water droplets, which appear as clouds.
Make a Rainbow
You will need the following:
A clear glass jar with a wide mouth
Water
A mirror (small enough to fit in glass)
A Flashlight
A room with white walls
First, fill the glass with water. Then, carefully place the small mirror into the glass jar, at an angle.
Next, turn the lights off so that you will able to see the rainbow better.
Last, aim the flashlight toward the mirror in the jar. Change the angle of light from the flashlight or change the angle of the mirror until you can see the rainbow on the wall or ceiling.
What colors do you see?
Explanation:
The mirror reflects light as it passes through the water, traveling at an angle. The water refracts (or bends) the light. As light bends, it separates into the colors of the rainbow, which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
Category: File - :Double-alaskan-rainbow.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Semicircular double rainbow (second one barely discernible) in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. Supernumerary rainbows can be seen on the inside of the primary arc. The sky inside the primary bow is brighter than that outside.
A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. They take the form of a multicoloured arc, with red on the outer part of the arch and violet on the inner section of the arch.
Category: File - :Rainbow-diagram-ROYGBIV.svg|left|90px
A rainbow spans a continuous spectrum of colours. Traditionally, however, the sequence is quantised. The most commonly cited and remembered sequence, in English, is Newton's sevenfold red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. "Roy G. Biv" and "Richard Of York Gave/Gained Battle In Vain" are popular mnemonics. Another one is "Read Out Your Green Book In Verse".
Rainbows can be caused by other forms of water than rain, including mist, spray, and dew.Category: File - :Steam Phase eruption of Castle geyser with double rainbow.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Steam phase eruption of Castle Geyser demonstrates primary and secondary rainbows and Alexander's band in Yellowstone National Park
Related Books for Kids
The Kid's Book of Weather Forecasting: Build a Weather Station, 'Read the Sky' & Make Predictions! (Williamson Kids Can! Series)
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Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today?: All About Weather (Cat in the Hat's Learning Library)
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Learning About Weather, Grades K-1 (Scienceworks for Kids Series)
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How weather works (How It Works)
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The Weather Placemat
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Science Kits that You can Purchase
A Ready-made Weather Experiment Kit
Scientific Explorer's My First Weather Science and Learning Kit
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Digital Weather Station
Related Sites of Interest
Weather for Kids
- The Weather Channel Kids
- The Weather Channel Kids provides interactive weather games, maps, activities and educational teaching materials for classrooms.
- Weather Wiz Kids
- All sorts of weather information, geared toward kids.
- Welcome to Web Weather for Kids
- Learn what makes weather wet and wild, do cool activities, and become hot at forecasting the weather on Web Weather for Kids!
- NWS JetStream - An Online School for Weather
- Online resource, from the National Weather Service, for learning about the hows and why of weather. Includes lesson plans.
- weather.com - Education Index
- Weather.com education pages.
- Sky Diary for Kids
- This kids' weather site offers facts, links and pictures on pages about tornadoes, lightning, hurricanes and storm chasing. It's part of Sky Diary, devoted to storm chasing and weather photography.
Feedback
Squidster wrote...
Lots of interesting and fun stuff. I can see my kids enjoying these hands-on activities. They are very curious but it's much better to actually show them and let them participate than to just give them a verbal explanation. SquidAngle blessings for a really useful lens! ^:)^
Posted May 21, 2009
Tipi's Mom wrote
This is very impressive, I can see how both children and their parents would enjoy doing your projects here. This is wonderful! My best to you!
Posted April 14, 2009
PosterChildSmile wrote...
This is a master-piece lens. Great information here. :)
Posted January 17, 2009
Dan wrote
Really nice, good information...
Posted January 11, 2009
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