Do Cities Affect the Weather?

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In this activity, learners explore clouds and how they form. Learners compare the cloud formation in two bottles, one with air freshener and one without, to examine the importance of condensation nuclei. Learners will discover that pollution and dust in cities increase the number of condensation nuclei in the atmosphere, which can affect the local weather. This activity is written as a demonstration for a whole group, but can be conducted by individual learners.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
Under 5 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$1 - $5 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 18
Resource Types:
Activity, Demonstration, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Model
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • Two 2-liter bottles
  • Tire valves to fit in the caps
  • Air freshener (Glade Powder Fresh works well.)
  • Bike pump with pressure gauge
  • Sucker sticks to release air pressure

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Processes
      • Weather and Climate
    • Earth Structure
      • Atmosphere
  • Life Sciences
    • Ecology
      • Human Impact
  • Physical Sciences
    • Heat and Thermodynamics
      • Heat and Temperature
      • Heat Transfer
      • Thermodynamics and Entropy
    • States of Matter
      • Liquids
      • Gases
      • Changes of Phase
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Formulating Explanations
  • The Nature of Technology
    • Technology and Society
      • Technology and the Environment

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, Little Shop of Physics, 2009