How Dew You Dew?

TOPIC: ATMOSPHERE
LEVEL: Intermediate

"How Dew You Dew?"

CONCEPT:: As water is heated and the water vapor cools, a liquid forms and this is called condensation.
STUDENT OBJECTIVE:: Students will observe through a series of activities that condensation is formed on surfaces and in the air when warm air is cooled.
OVERVIEW:: In this activity, students will use a plastic cup and exhale into it. They will observe the moisture, or condensation, has formed on the inside of the cup. This is a result of water vapor being cooled and it condenses into its liquid form.
TEACHER TEXT:

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes

LESSON TIME: 60 minutes

TEACHER PREP:

WORDS TO KNOW:

MATERIALS NEEDED:

per student

STEPS TO FOLLOW:: 1. Give each student a plastic cup.; 2. Instruct each student to breath into the cup. Record students' observations. Discuss condensation as it formed on their cups.; 3. Now take two clear plastic cups and place them where all students will be able to see the demonstration.; 4. Fill one cup with room temperature water and fill the other with ice water. Add food coloring for easier viewing.; 5. Give each student a piece of drawing paper. Fold it in half. Have students draw a cup on 1/2 of their paper and label it "warm" and draw and label the other 1/2 paper "cold".; 6. Have students illustrate what they observed from the two cups.; 7. Show the students the two soda cans. Tell them that one of them is cold. Can the students tell which one is cold without touching them?

WHY?: As the water vapor molecules cool in the air, the molecules begin to slow down. As they become less active, they clump together and form water droplets. As the water vapor molecules clump together on the soda cans, inside the clear plastic cups, in the colored water, condensations has formed.

ASSESSMENT: Can the student communicate what they observed?: 4......Student is able to communicate that the water vapor molecules begin to cool and join together to form water droplets which is called condensation.; 3......Student is able to communicate that condensation is formed when the air is cooled and moisture forms on the grass and windows.; 2......Student is able to communicate that water droplets formed on the cold cups.; 1......Student is able to communicate that the cold cup "leaks".

Last modified: Thu Apr 3 12:13:43 PST 1997