Search Results
Showing results 1 to 17 of 17
Acid (and Base) Rainbows
Learners use red cabbage juice and pH indicator paper to test the acidity and basicity of household materials. The activity links this concept of acids and bases to acid rain and other pollutants.
How Can Gravity Make Something Go Up?
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners use cheap, thin plastic garbage bags to quickly build a solar hot air balloon. In doing so, learners will explore why hot air rises.
Good News: We're on the Rise!
Learners build a simple aneroid barometer to learn about changes in barometric pressure and weather forecasting. They observe their barometer and record data over a period of days.
Acid Rain Effects
Learners conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects.
Sled Kite
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners build a sled kite that models a type of airfoil called a parawing.
Hot Stuff!: Testing for Carbon Dioxide from Our Own Breath
Learners blow into balloons and collect their breath--carbon dioxide gas (CO2). They then blow the CO2 from the balloon into a solution of acid-base indicator.
For Your Eyes Only
Learners build particulate matter collectors--devices that collect samples of visible particulates present in polluted air.
CD Air Puck
Source Institutions
In this activity, learners will use a compact disc to build an air puck that can glide across a smooth tabletop. The puck glides with almost no friction on a cushion of air escaping from a balloon.
Does Air Weigh Anything?
Source Institutions
The demonstration/experiment provides quick proof that air has mass.
If Hot Air Rises, Why is it Cold in the Mountains?
Source Institutions
This demonstration/activity helps learners understand why higher elevations are not always warm simply because "hot air rises." Learners use a tire pump to increase the pressure and temperature inside
Hot Stuff!: Testing Ice
In this demonstration, learners compare and contrast regular water ice to dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide). Both samples are placed in a solution of acid-base indicator.
Light as Air
Source Institutions
In this physics activity (page 6 of the PDF), learners will demonstrate air has weight by comparing an inflated balloon to a deflated one.
Cleaning Air with Balloons
Learners observe a simple balloon model of an electrostatic precipitator. These devices are used for pollutant recovery in cleaning industrial air pollution.
Battling for Oxygen
Working in groups, learners model the continuous destruction and creation of ozone (O3) molecules, which occur in the ozone layer.
Let's Bag It
Learners observe and discuss a vacuum cleaner as a model of a baghouse, a device used in cleaning industrial air pollution.
I Can't Take the Pressure!
Learners develop an understanding of air pressure in two different activities.
What's Hiding in the Air?: Rubber Band Air Test
Learners build devices from rubber bands to test for invisible air pollutants.