Evaporation Exploration · PDF fileact like a high-tech fabric. Evaporation Exploration Be sure to follow Milli’s Safety ... Science Activities for Kids T he American Chemical Society

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from Celebrating Chemistry

American Chemical Society ©2008 www.acs.org/kids

Procedure 1. Use a marking pen to label the cup “Water”.

2. Use the marking pen to label 2 zip-closing bags with “Room Temp”. Label the other 2 bags with “Hot Water”.

3. Add about 1 cup of room-temperature water to each of the 2 zip-closing plastic bags labeled “Room Temp”. Get as much air out as possible, and seal the bags securely. Lay the bags down flat.

4. Have your adult partner add about 1 cup of hot tap water to each of the 2 zip-closing plastic bags labeled “Hot Water”. Get as much air out as possible, and seal the bag securely. Lay the bag down flat. This bag will serve as a heat source.

5. At the same time, use a dropper to place 1 drop of room-temperature water in the center of 2 separate pieces of brown paper towel.

6. Repeat step 3 with the cotton fabric swatches.

7. Allow the drops to spread for about 10-20 seconds until they don’t seem to spread any more.

8. Place one paper towel on the bag labeled “Room Temp”. Place the other paper towel on the bag labeled “Hot Water”.

9. Repeat step 8 with the cotton swatches.

10. Observe every few minutes. Compare the amount of water on each paper towel in the “What Did You Observe?” section.

11. Thoroughly clean the work area and wash your hands.

You’re geared up and ready to play. Wait! What are you wearing? Fabrics like

cotton can soak up sweat and water, and they dry slowly. So as you sweat, cotton clothes can become wet and sticky, even heavy—they hold on to the water they soak up. The new high-tech fabrics in modern sports clothing are different. They have the ability to pull moisture away from the skin and carry it to the outer surface of the cloth-ing, where it can evaporate more easily and cool you off. In the following activity, you will compare the rate of evaporation of water from cotton and a paper towel, which will act like a high-tech fabric.

Evaporation Exploration

Be sure to follow Milli’s Safety Tips and do this activity with

an adult! Do not eat or drink any of the materials used in this activity.

SAFETY!

MaterialsPermanent

marking penSmall cupHot tap water

Room-temperature water

4 zip-closing plastic bags, quart size

2 droppers2 brown paper

towels2 pieces of

3” x 3” cotton fabric swatches


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Evaporation Exploration page 2

Water

Room tempwater

Hot water

Room tempwater

Hot water

What Did You ObserveDoes adding heat to water increase the rate of evaporation? ________________________________________________________________________Which sample of water evaporated faster, the cotton swatch or the paper towel?

________________________________________________________________________

Where’s the Chemistry?The fabrics used in modern sports clothes have pores to move water away from the skin and to the outer surface of the fabric so that it will not soak up. The pores provide a way for sweat to evap-orate faster, keeping you dry and comfortable. Evaporation hap-pens when water is heated and goes into the air. It takes energy to evaporate water. Heat is a form of energy, so water evaporates more quickly at warmer temperatures. The material that soaked up the water will have a slower rate of evaporation versus the mate-rial that contains pores for the water to easily evaporate, just like what is used in high-tech clothing.


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Science Activities for Kids

The American Chemical Society develops materials for elementary school age children

to spark their interest in science and teach devel-opmentally appropriate chemistry concepts. The Activities for Children collection includes hands-on activities, articles, puzzles, and games on topics related to children’s everyday experiences.

The collection can be used to supplement the science curriculum, celebrate National Chemis-try Week, develop Chemists Celebrate Earth Day events, invite children to give science a try at a large event, or to explore just for fun at home.

Find more activities, articles, puzzles and games at www.acs.org/kids.

Safety TipsThis activity is intended for elementary school children under the direct supervision of an adult. The American Chemical Society cannot be responsible for any accidents or injuries that may result from conducting the activities without proper supervision, from not specifically following directions, or from ignoring the cautions contained in the text.

Always:•Workwithanadult.

•Readandfollowalldirectionsfortheactivity.

•Readallwarninglabelsonallmaterialsbeingused.

•Weareyeprotection.

•Followsafetywarningsorprecautions,suchaswearinggloves or tying back long hair.

•Useallmaterialscarefully,followingthedirectionsgiven.

•Besuretocleanupanddisposeofmaterialsproperlywhenyou are finished with anactivity.

•Washyourhandswellaftereveryactivity.

Never:•Never eat or drink while conducting an experiment, and

be careful to keep all of the materials used away from your mouth, nose, and eyes!

•Never experiment on your own!

For more detailed information on safety go to www.acs.org/education and click on “Safety Guidelines”

from the American Chemical Society

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Evaporation Exploration · PDF fileact like a high-tech fabric. Evaporation Exploration Be sure to follow Milli’s Safety ... Science Activities for Kids T he American Chemical Society