Evaporation, condensation, precipitation. It’s the water cycle. The water cycle goes on and on. It’s the continuous movement of water from the earth and the atmosphere. The heat from the sun causes water from all bodies of water, like oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams to evaporate. Evaporation occurs when the liquid water from the surface of the earth changes phase to water vapor in the atmosphere. Transpiration can also occur through the movement of water going into the atmosphere from plants and trees. So as the relatively warmer water vapor rises, the cooler air aloft causes the water vapor to turn back into a liquid water phase, creating clouds. That is known as condensation. Eventually, when the cloud becomes full of liquid water droplets, it falls from the sky in the form of precipitation. Like rain and snow. Then the cycle starts over again.
The experiment we are about to do shows what happens in clouds during the water cycle. For this experiment, you will need shaving cream, a glass, food coloring, and water.
First, you will want to fill your glass about ¾ of the way up of water. Spray the shaving cream on top of the water. Then you’ll add your food coloring water drops. I’ll start with about 6 or 7 drops. Once the shaving cream, in the case the cloud, can’t hold the food coloring anymore it will start to fall out of the cloud, creating precipitation.
This is a fun weather experiment to do to learn about the water cycle. Now that’s the Science of Weather, in Southfield I’m Meteorologist Kylee Miller.
