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Hot Bubble Fliers

Dateline: 12/01/97

Bubbles, bubbles, don't you love to make bubbles? How about blowing bubbles outside on a cold winter day? Grab a bottle of warmed bubble mixture, take your warm breath, and go outside to send hot air bubbles up into the cold sky.

Cold air is heavier than warm air. Air rises as it gets warm and cold air moves in to take its place. This causes currents of air to move around inside as well as out of doors. To show how this happens, we will use a warmed bubble solution and our own warm body air. The bubbles we blow on a cold day will float upward as the warm air inside rises.

Things you will need

• bubble mixture (1/3 cup dish soap, 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon of sugar).
• container for mixture
• bubble blowers

What to do

• Mix bubble mixture indoors.
• Go outside and blow bubbles.
• Watch the bubbles as they float upward. Your warm breath makes the bubbles very light. The cold air is heavier than warm air. Why do bubles fly up so quickly? How high will they fly? Watch and see!

More things to try

Try the same experiment using cold water, approximately the same temperature as the outdoor air. What happens? Compare the two types of bubble fliers. Experiment with different types of bubble blowers. Does the type you use make a difference?

Interesting Links

Temperature
Factors which affect temperatures.

Hot Air
Comparing hot and cold air.

Weather '98
Become a weather scientist in this special weather program.

Weather Charting
Chart the weather in cities around the world.

Observing the Weather Today
What does the sky look like today? Look out your window, or go outside and see. Draw a picture on the chart.

Temperature
What's the temperature?

The Science of Ballooning
Hot air balloons.

This activity was inspired by the book More Mudpies to Magnets. Publishers Gryphon House, Inc. were nice enough to let me share their articles with you. Please visit their website. They have some great books for kids!

Graphic from Designed to A Tee
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