ACTIVITY NO.

2
AIR MOVEMENTS

Objectives:
Describe how unequal heating of the earth’s surface causes air movement.

Materials:

Rectangular box with a clear transparent plastic side

2 plastic tubes acting like chimneys
1 candle
1 touch paper
1 box of matches

Procedure:

1. Very CAREFULLY, using a fireplace match, light the candle by putting it down the chimney.
Once the candle is lit, allow the box to warm up for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Roll a touch paper into a tight, coiled tube.
3. Light one end of the touch paper, allow it to burn for about 10 seconds
4. Extinguish it by blowing it out or shaking it rapidly. (Be careful!) It should be smoking
profusely. Note that the smoke rises.
5. Hold the smoldering paper down over the first chimney (with the candle )
6. Now, hold the smoldering paper down over the second chimney (without the candle).
7. Record your observations.

Guide Questions:
1. How did the smoke move in the first chimney? 2nd chimney?
 2. Why did it happen?
3. What happens to air when heated? When cooled?
4. How does air temperature affect weather?

Explanation:

DESCRIPTION: The convection apparatus consists of a wooden box with clear plastic sides
and two chimneys. A lighted candle is placed beneath one of the chimneys and a burning
taper held over the other. The convection current is clearly visible.

EXPLANATION

Cold air contracts or sinks. The air molecules get closer, which makes the air heavier or
denser. Hot air expands or rises. The molecules get further apart, become less dense and
they get lighter.

Since warm air rises, the upper part of the room is the warmest. The cooler part of the
room would be closer to the floor.
 Activity 3
Why does the cardboard float?

Objective:

Explain how air pressure works

Materials:
glass
water
cardboard (large enough to cover the glass mouth)

Procedure:

1. Place the cardboard on top of the glass. Use your hand to press firmly the
cardboard to the glass. While holding the glass and the cardboard together,
turn the glass upside down. Release the cardboard. What happens to the
cardboard? Explain your observation.
2. Fill the glass half full with water. Place again the cardboard on top. Make
sure that the cardboard completely covers the mouth of the glass. While
holding both the glass and the cardboard together, turn the glass upside
down. Release the cardboard. What happens to the cardboard? Explain
your observation.
 Activity 4
How does a barometer work?

Objective:
To construct a barometer using readily available materials.
To explain how the improvised barometer measure air pressure

Materials:
jar with a wide mouth drawing straw
balloon rubber band
masking tape scissors
graph paper marking pens
Procedure:
1. Cut a piece out balloon and stretch it tightly over the mouth of the jar. Use the
rubber band to secure this membrane over the mouth of the jar similar to the top of
a drum.
2. Flatten one end of the drinking straw with your fingers, making about 2 cm of the
straw end flat.
3. Using a masking tape, attach the unflattened end of the drinking straw starting from
the center of the rubber membrane so that most of the length of the straw and the
pointed end protrudes past the edge of the jar. The straw should stick out at least 15
cm from the edge of the jar.

4. Tape a graphing paper to a wall in a sheltered outdoor location and position your bottle
barometer so that the tip of the straw is very close to but not touching the graph paper.
Mark the graph paper to show the position of the barometer tip on the appropriate day in
your notebook, record the time of day and the weather conditions.
5. Do this for about 5 days.

Questions:
1. Is the air pressure (weight of air) is high, what will happen to the rubber membrane?
2. Is the air pressure (weight of air) is low, what will happen to the rubber membrane?
 Activity 5
Thirsty Sponge

Objective:
Describe the humidity and how it affects the weather
Materials:

1 sponge (1 cm ₃)
1 medicine dropper
1 plastic plates
Small bottle of water

Procedure:
1. Place the sponge on the plastic plate.
2. Squeeze the sponge to make sure that there is no water in it.
3. Using the medicine dropper, place 5 drops of water in the sponge. Was it
completely absorbed? Why?
4. Add another 5 drops of water. Was it completely absorbed?
5. Add another 5 drops of water. Describe what happened to the sponge.
6. Record how many drops it took until the sponge starts leaking water.

Guide Questions:
1. How many drops of water did it take to fill your sponge?
2. What happened to the sponge when you added too many drops of water?
 ACTIVITY 6
“A Rain Cloud In My Jar”
Objective:
Describe how rain is formed.
Materials:
Clear mixing bowl
Hot water
Plate

Procedure:

1. Put hot water in your mixing bowl. It can be steaming hot

but be careful not to burn yourself. It does not need to boil.
2. Put a plate on top of the bowl. It will be a lid.
3. Add some ice cubes to the plate.
4. Watch it rain!

Guide Questions:

1. What did you observe after putting ice cubes?

2. Where did it come from?
3. What is the weather when it rains?
 Activity 7
Interpreting Weather Data

Objective:
Interpret weather chart

Materials:
Manila paper, marker

Procedure:

The table below shows the reading for the different components
of weather in Manila for 5 days. Study it carefully and answer the
questions below.

Elements Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Air 31 ˚C 31 ˚C 30 ˚C 30 ˚C 30 ˚C
temperature
Air Pressure 1009 mb 1009 mb 1004 mb 1000 mb 994 mb
Humidity 75% 74% 74% 80% 90%
Precipitation 0.4 mm 1.2 mm 1.2 mm 1.2 mm 4.7 mm
Cloudiness 63% 74% 75% 100% 100%
Wind speed 10 km/h 11 km/h 11 km/h 12 km/h 18 km/h
Wind NW WNW WNW NW NW
direction

Guide Questions:
1. Describe the trends in air temperature, air pressure,
humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, and wind speed from Day
1 to Day 5.
2. Based on your answers in question no. 1, how does the
weather condition on Day 1 differ from that Day 5.