Lesson 9 of 13 · Earth Systems

Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌋 Rock Realm

Why Some Places Are Wetter

🧪Lab Brief #9

Earth Systems.

🎯 Your mission

Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.

⚡ The twist

Weather isn't random — it's just complicated.

🤯

Mind = Blown

🌊 The deepest part of the ocean is deeper than Mount Everest is tall.

🔮

Make a hypothesis first

Before you observe: what shape will it leave?

What You'll Learn

Air forced up over mountains cools, and cool air holds less water vapour, so it rains on the windward slope. By the time the air comes down the other side it is dry, which is why deserts often sit just behind mountain ranges.

Key Words

Tap a word to see its definition.

Materials Needed

cardboard
cold metal tray
kettle
map

Safety First

Steam scalds — an adult must handle the kettle and everyone stays an arm's length back.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.

Step 2 — Do

Model a rain shadow by blowing damp air from a kettle spout over a cardboard ridge onto a cold surface. Mark where the droplets collect and relate it to a map of a real rain shadow desert.

Step 3 — Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 — Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 2

A rain shadow forms on the:

How sure are you going to be?😐 maybe

🌍

Where you see this in real life

This is shaping the ground you walk on, slowly, every single day.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Find a rock outside and try to guess how old it is.

👨‍👩‍👧

For the dinner table

“What's the slowest change you can think of?”

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Next Smart Experiment

We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.

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Ready?