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Water Cycle (6-8 Version)Activity for Kids

Cloud in a Bottle DIY

Duration: 20 min
Difficulty: Medium
Cost: $0 to $10

Learn how to form a cloud in a bottle!

Visit The Full Lesson Download Instructions as PDF

Material List

12-liter Plastic Bottle
1Bottle of Rubbing Alcohol
1Cork
1Pump with an Inflating Needle
1Pair of Safety Glasses

Instructions

1Carefully push the inflating needle through the cork (adult help may be needed).
2Pour a little bit of rubbing alcohol into the bottle and swirl it so that the liquid coats the entire inside. Rubbing alcohol is flammable, so make sure to keep it away from any flames.
3Insert the cork into the bottle and give it several pumps. The more pumps you add the better it will work.
4As quickly as you can, remove the cork and watch the cloud form!

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How It Works

We used rubbing alcohol because it evaporates faster than water and creates a more visible cloud. Pumping air into the bottle squeezes the molecules of gas closer together. When you pull out the cork, the gas expands and cools down, making the vapor condense into tiny liquid droplets, just like a cloud! The process of gas turning into a liquid is called condensation.