Rising and Sinking Air

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Convection Builds as Warm Air Rises Through Cold Air.

By Brandon Butcher

Story Published: Mar 18, 2007 at 4:03 PM EDT

Story Updated: Mar 18, 2007 at 4:03 PM EDT

RISING AND SINKING AIR

MATERIALS:
  • Clear plastic container about the size of a shoebox
  • Red and blue food coloring
  • Ice cubes (dyed with the blue food coloring)
PROCESS:

Fill the plastic container about 2/3 full with tap water (room temperature is fine). Let the water sit for a while until it's perfectly still. Slip some of the blue-dyed ice cubes into one side of the water. Add two drops of red food coloring to the other, making sure to keep the water as still as possible. Water will start to flow because of the temperature difference between the two sides. You should notice the blue water sinking and the red water staying higher than the blue.

EXPLANATION:

Red water represents a warm air mass (or the heated surface of the ground). The blue water depicts a cold air mass (or the gradually cooler air above the surface). Warm air is forced to rise if it's warmer than its surroundings. Likewise, cold air often sags to the bottom because it is more dense than the warmer air. The volume of upward moving warm air would then condense to form a cloud, and later a storm.

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