Search Results
Showing results 1 to 20 of 23
Toasty Wind
Source Institutions
In this quick activity, learners use a toaster to investigate the source for the Earth's wind. Learners hold a pinwheel above a toaster to discover that rising heat causes wind.
What Causes Wind?
Source Institutions
In this sunny day experiment, learners measure and compare how quickly light and dark colored materials absorb heat.
Pie-Pan Convection
Source Institutions
It's difficult to see convection currents in any liquid that's undergoing a temperature change, but in this Exploratorium Science Snack, you can see the currents with the help of food coloring.
The Great Balloon Race
Source Institutions
In this online Flash game, learners take to the skies in a hot air balloon and are challenged to beat other balloonists' times to the finish line without crashing.
Earth Walk
Source Institutions
In this hands-on and feet-on excursion, learners take a science walk to visualize the planet's immense size and numerous structures, without the usual scale and ratio dimensions found in most textbook
Wonderful Weather
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners conduct three experiments to examine temperature, the different stages of the water cycle, and how convection creates wind.
Melting Ice
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore density, convection, stratification, and, by inference, the melting of icebergs. Learners make hypotheses, test their hypotheses, and explain their observations.
Current Events
Source Institutions
Learners model the ocean currents that carry hot water from the tropics to northern latitudes.
Hot Air
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners set up an experiment to investigate the effects of hot air on the path of a laser beam.
Turning the Air Upside Down: Convection Current Model
Learners see convection currents in action in this highly visual demonstration. Sealed bags of colored hot or cold water are immersed in tanks of water.
Convection Demonstration
Source Institutions
In this quick activity (located on page 2 of the PDF under GPS: Balloon Fiesta Activity), learners will see the effects of convection and understand what makes hot air balloons rise.
What is a “Convection Cell”?
Source Institutions
In this demonstration, learners can observe a number of small convection cells generated from a mixture of aluminum powder and silicon oil on a hot plate.
Solar Water Heater
Learners work in teams to design and build solar water heating devices that mimic those used in residences to capture energy in the form of solar radiation and convert it to thermal energy.
Give and Take
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore liquid crystals, light and temperature. Using a postcard made of temperature-sensitive liquid crystal material, learners monitor temperature changes.
Inverted Bottles
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners investigate convection by using food coloring and water of different temperatures.
Liquid Crystal Thermometers
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners explore liquid crystal thermometers to observe how heat flows by conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation.
Hot Cans and Cold Cans
Source Institutions
Learners apply their knowledge of heat transfer to design two cans - one that will retain heat and one that will cool down quickly.
Earth and Mars
Source Institutions
Based on color photographic images, learners compare geological features on Earth and Mars to understand similarities and differences between the two planets, and consider the forces that created land
Turning the Air Upside Down: Warm Air is Less Dense than Cool Air
Learners cover a bottle with a balloon. When they immerse the bottle in warm water, the balloon inflates. When they immerse the bottle in a bowl of ice, the balloon deflates.
Weather Stations: Winds
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use a toaster to generate wind and compare the appliance's heat source to Jupiter's own hot interior. Learners discover that convection drives wind on Jupiter and on Earth.