On this episode of Weather Labs, Austin shows off the science between temperature and air masses and how that works with the weather. Here is what you will need:
-Balloon (latex or rubber)
-2 liter bottle
-Bowl of hot water (as close to boiling temperature as you can safely manage)
-Bowl of ice water
Take the balloon and stretch the end of it over the mouth of the bottle. Make sure it isn’t kinked at all and can inflate freely.
Take the bottle and slowly lower it into the hot water. Watch the balloon at the end of the bottle expand slightly. It will not inflate completely, not enough pressure, but it will slightly inflate. Then, take the bottle with the upright balloon and slowly lower it into the cold water, watch the balloon deflate.
Temperature is the measure of the kinetic energy in an object. It is a measure of how much the molecules are moving and the more they are moving, the warmer the object is. Warm air is less dense and thus will rise, causing the balloon to inflate. Cold air is more dense, the molecules are compacted more, and the balloon deflates.
This is a very important building block for pretty much any and all weather things. Try it at home!
