Pocket fog
Get a little control over the weather
Fog is a cloud that lies just above the ground and severely limits visibility. It is also formed as water vapour condenses (liquefies) in the ground layer of air.
What you need
- a jar with a lid (250 ml)
- a little warm water
- matches
- a wooden skewer
- 4–5 ice cubes
Procedure
1. Pour some warm water into the jar.
2. Light the skewer and blow it out after a while.
3. Insert the skewer into the jar and blow a little smoke inside. This creates condensation nuclei.
4. Place the inverted lid on the jar and put a few ice cubes on top.
5. Wait and watch as the fog forms.
Explanation
You've created fog in by slightly reversing the way it usually occurs in nature. The Earth was represented by the lid, which you cooled – just like the Earth's surface, which tends to have a lower temperature. The skewer meant that the moisture in the jar began to condense into little droplets that can be seen as mist. Condensation nuclei are formed in nature by things such as pollen grains or dust particles. The more pollution in the air, the easier it is for the droplets to form. That's one reason why there's more fog where there are a lot of factories or buildings heated by coal.
See more experiments with Mendel here.
Informace pro Vás
- You can try these experiments anywhere.
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Most of the time, all you need is what you already have at home.
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So let’s get started—your experiments are waiting!
