Hot Air Pinwheel

Hot air is different from cold air, but it can be hard to see the changes. Try this science experiment using a pinwheel to see the hot air make the pin wheel move.

Continue reading "Hot Air Pinwheel"

Materials - toy pinwheel, pot of boiling water, pot-holder glove

1. Have an adult boil a pot of water.
2. With an adult's help, wear a pot-holder glove and hold a toy pinwheel over the steam of the boiling water. Observe what happens to the pinwheel.
3. Now move the pinwheel away from the steam and see what happens.

What Should Happen

The heated air molecules from the steam move faster and farther apart. The air becomes lighter and rises upward creating an air current which moves the pinwheel.

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