We started learning about the weather without a curriculum but with natural curiosity. Between books that we own and books from the library, we started learning more about weather one weekend. Who wouldn’t want to learn how to make a cloud in a jar with hairspray?
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What you need:
- a large jar
- hot (boiling) water
- a plate to fit over the top of your jar
- aerosol hair spray
- ice cubes
How to Make a Cloud in A Jar – Science Experiment
Put about four or so ice cubes on the plate. We used massive ice cubes meant for whiskey. It meant less water mess, less fast melting, and worked just the same as using regular ice cubes, we’ve done it both ways.
Fill your jar about a third of the way up with hot water.
Spray a quick blast of an aerosol hairspray into the jar and very quickly put your plate on top of the jar.
The science behind what is happening:
By pouring hot water into a jar and trapping it, you created warm, moist air. As the warm air inside the jar rose, it was cooled by the ice on top of the jar.
When the water vapor cooled, it wanted to turn back into liquid, but it needed to condense onto a surface. The aerosol spray provided cloud condensation nuclei: a surface for the water vapor to condense into tiny cloud droplets.
The cloud swirled inside the jar due to the circulation of warm air rising and cold air sinking. I shared this quick video on Instagram after did it.
If you try this out at home I would love to see how it goes for you and what your kids think of it.
Want more weather science experiments?
Arctic Animal Science Experiment – Learn how animals stay warm in freezing temperatures.
Making Rain in a Jar – If you can make a cloud, why not make it rain too?
Making Clouds in a Jar
Watch a cloud form, and move around in a jar.
Materials
- ice cubes
- boiling water
- aerosol hair spray
Tools
- a jar
- a small plate (for going over the mouth of your jar)
Instructions
- Put about four or so ice cubes on the plate.
- Fill your jar about a third of the way up with hot water.
- Spray a quick blast of an aerosol hairspray into the jar and very quickly put your plate on top of the jar.