SCIENCE CONCEPT:
- Environmental conditions, temperature, density, and pressure, are continually changing.
STUDENT OBJECTIVE:
- The student will observe through this activity that temperature, when heated, causes the
surrounding air to move.
OVERVIEW:
- In this activity, the student will make a paper spiral, attach it to a string and hold it over a
heat source, such as a light. The student will then observe that the heat or energy generated
from the light will cause the paper spiral to move.
TEACHER TEXT:
- The energy from the light heats the air above it. The air molecules move faster and farther
apart as they absorb energy. The separation of the molecules makes the air lighter and it rises
upward. Cooler air rushes in to take the place of the warmer air rising. As long as the lamp
is on, warm air rises and cooler air moves in to take its place creating air movements called
convection currents.
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PREPARATION TIME:
- 15 minutes.
LESSON TIME:
- 45 minutes.
TEACHER PREP:
WORDS TO KNOW:
- convection currents
- energy
- absorb
- molecules
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