Lesson 80 of 84 · The Water Cycle
Experiment⭐ 30 XPPlate Tectonics: Moving Continents (Part 3)
The Water Cycle.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Tectonic plates are huge slabs of Earth's crust that float on the mantle. Where plates meet, earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building occur.
Key Words
- barometer
- anemometer
- rock cycle
Materials Needed
- spray bottle
- cups
- thermometer
- rain gauge
- cotton balls
- food coloring
Safety First
- Use materials only as directed in the experiment.
- Keep small objects away from young children.
- Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.
Steps
Study the diagram and label the parts you recognize.
Create a model of the water cycle in a bowl: place warm water in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, put ice on top, and observe condensation and precipitation.
Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.
Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What forms when tectonic plates collide?
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
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