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Mini clouds

Clouds are created when water vapor and air pools condenses, or changes from a gas to a liquid. As it moves upward, the air cools until it reaches the dewpoint, the point at which it is saturated with water vapor. The shapes of the clouds that form depend on the stability of the surrounding air.

To get an idea of how clouds form, do the following experiment.

Materials Needed

  • several cans of carbonated soft drinks at room temperature

Procedure

Open a can of carbonated soft drink, being careful not to shake it up. Watch carefully to spot the fog that comes from the opening. The pressure on the gas inside causes the internal temperature to rise. When the pressure is released, the gas cools. When the can is opened, pressure inside the can is released, and you see the water vapor condense as the gas (air, carbon dioxide, and water vapor) cools. There are other ways to see a process similar to cloud formation. Watch dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide), or watch the clouds that are released when you open the door of the ice section of a refrigerator.

Questions

  1. Try the same procedure with a very cold can of soft drink. Do you see very much of a cloud? Why?
  2. A weather event called fog is actually a cloud on the ground
    1. What time of day do you usually see fog?
    2. What causes fog to form?
Click here for the answers to these questions.

Author: Sharron Sample
Curator: SAIC Information Services
Date: November 13,1997