Drying it Out
Investigate and compare the rate of drying in different conditions.
Big Idea: Wind can impact the speed of water evaporation
Materials:
- Fan
- Four dish cloths (all of the same size and material)
- Inexpensive drying rack
- Water
- Chart paper, makers
- Timer
Illinois Learning Standards:
4.A Listen effectively in formal and informal situations.
4.B Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
7.A Measure and compare quantities using appropriate units, instruments and methods.
11.A Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry.
11.B Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of technological design.
12.C Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.
12.D Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles that explain them.
31.A Develop a positive self-concept.
4.B Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
7.A Measure and compare quantities using appropriate units, instruments and methods.
11.A Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry.
11.B Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of technological design.
12.C Know and apply concepts that describe properties of matter and energy and the interactions between them.
12.D Know and apply concepts that describe force and motion and the principles that explain them.
31.A Develop a positive self-concept.
Vocabulary:
Condensation: the change of gas or vapor to a liquid
Evaporation: the process of removing moisture
Prediction: educated guess
Results: outcome
Sublimation: the process of change from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid state.
Vapor: barely visible matter diffused matter, such as mist, fumes or smoke suspended in air.
Evaporation: the process of removing moisture
Prediction: educated guess
Results: outcome
Sublimation: the process of change from a solid to a gas without passing through a liquid state.
Vapor: barely visible matter diffused matter, such as mist, fumes or smoke suspended in air.
Activity Directions:
- Give students dish cloths to wet. Make sure students wring out as much water as they can.
- Let students place the wet dish cloths in four different places: in front of a fan, on a flat surface inside the classroom, in a box with a lid, and outside on the grass or in the sun by a window. (Make sure the dishcloths are put down flat.) Have children make predictions: which towel will dry the fastest to slowest. Record predictions on chart.
- Have students record data every ten minutes: dry, almost dry, wet.
- After 30 minutes invite children to discuss the findings. What might have made some dish cloths dry faster than others? (wind, moving air)
Investigation Questions:
- Did you place the same amount of water (liquid) on each dish cloth?
- Why do you think some towels dried faster than others?
- How could we change the results?
- What does our data tell us?
- What other factors could have changed our results?
Exhibit:
Workshop:
