Why do Raindrops Sometimes Land Gently and Sometimes Land with a Splat?

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
In this activity, learners examine raindrop bottles (prepared ahead of time) to observe in slow motion the behavior of falling droplets and explore concepts such as drag and terminal velocity. As learners examine the drops in the bottle, they will discover that raindrops fall at very different rates depending on their size.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
10 to 30 minutes
Learning Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
1 cent - $1 per student
Age Range:
Ages 8 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan, Model
Language:
English

Materials List (per student)

  • 1 clear square sided plastic bottle with lid (We’ve sometimes used empty Fiji water bottles.)
  • Mineral oil
  • Water
  • Food coloring
  • Paper towels
  • Epoxy or hot glue (optional)
  • Tape (optional)

Keywords

Subjects

  • Earth and Space Science
    • Earth Processes
      • Weather and Climate
  • Mathematics
    • Measurement
      • Rate
  • Physical Sciences
    • Motion and Forces
      • Momentum and Velocity
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations
      • Formulating Explanations

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • touch

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