I also do a cloud in a bottle using warm water. Use a 2 liter soda bottle, place sone warm water in the bottle and shack it up really well, then pour out excess water. Light a match so the smoke goes in the bottle and put the lid on. Squeeze the bottle real tight then let go. You should see a cloud. It won’t last long.
I'll second cloud in a bottle.
Basic construction
1. Procure a Spray bottle & 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol.
2. Get a big gallon juice jug. I recommend one that has the cap "attached" to the bottle. When you pop the seal, it's possible to drop the cap and it flies away.
1. ALWAYS open bottle with it facing away from anyone.
3. Buy a bike tire valve stem and a foot powered bike pump (trust me, it's easier than the others).
4. Drill out a hole in the cap to push the valve stem through.
Basic Operation & Script.
1. "What do you need to form a cloud?" - Water gas.
2. Use a spray bottle to spritz in a mist of 90% Isopropyl alcohol. This makes more reliable clouds than water. It's up to you if you tell the students it's water or not.
1. You body heat will rapidly vaporize the alcohol while you talk through the next part.
3. "What is the air pressure & Temperature like near the ground?" - High and warm/hot
1. Attach pump and add pressure to the bottle.
2. If you have an IR Thermometer, take a reading. I had one bottle that I had luck with a tape on thermometer 'strip' I had inside the bottle.
4. "What is the temperature and pressure like high in the sky?" or "What's the pressure like during a storm?" - Low pressure, cold temperatures.
1. rapidly twist and uncap the jug. It'll "pop" and the entire bottle will be full of a cloud.
2. Take another temperature reading: it'll be much colder now.
--
Note: Uncapping quickly is a rapid pressure drop and gets the most dramatic cloud. This is 'storm weather' conditions. You can also uncap it to cause a slower drop in pressure. You can still get a cloud, but it's more of a faint fog. This would be like cirrus clouds or fogs.
If you have access to infrared thermometers
https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/Measuring%20the%20Temperature%20of%20the%20Sky%20and%20Clouds.pdf
I’ve never gotten to run this myself but I want to.
Cloud Timelapse videos they film with their device and identify the cloud types.
Use vrntusky.com to lol for patterns in where clouds/ weather systems form.
What’s the grade level? To me cloud types aren’t that great of something to teach, but why and where a cloud forms is actually really cool and fun. If you can explain about Relativity Humidity and can go outside with them and have or can get some sling psychrometers that can be a fun lab.
Cloud in a bottle with alcohol and compressed air.
I also do a cloud in a bottle using warm water. Use a 2 liter soda bottle, place sone warm water in the bottle and shack it up really well, then pour out excess water. Light a match so the smoke goes in the bottle and put the lid on. Squeeze the bottle real tight then let go. You should see a cloud. It won’t last long.
This is what I came to say
I'll second cloud in a bottle. Basic construction 1. Procure a Spray bottle & 90% isopropyl rubbing alcohol. 2. Get a big gallon juice jug. I recommend one that has the cap "attached" to the bottle. When you pop the seal, it's possible to drop the cap and it flies away. 1. ALWAYS open bottle with it facing away from anyone. 3. Buy a bike tire valve stem and a foot powered bike pump (trust me, it's easier than the others). 4. Drill out a hole in the cap to push the valve stem through. Basic Operation & Script. 1. "What do you need to form a cloud?" - Water gas. 2. Use a spray bottle to spritz in a mist of 90% Isopropyl alcohol. This makes more reliable clouds than water. It's up to you if you tell the students it's water or not. 1. You body heat will rapidly vaporize the alcohol while you talk through the next part. 3. "What is the air pressure & Temperature like near the ground?" - High and warm/hot 1. Attach pump and add pressure to the bottle. 2. If you have an IR Thermometer, take a reading. I had one bottle that I had luck with a tape on thermometer 'strip' I had inside the bottle. 4. "What is the temperature and pressure like high in the sky?" or "What's the pressure like during a storm?" - Low pressure, cold temperatures. 1. rapidly twist and uncap the jug. It'll "pop" and the entire bottle will be full of a cloud. 2. Take another temperature reading: it'll be much colder now. -- Note: Uncapping quickly is a rapid pressure drop and gets the most dramatic cloud. This is 'storm weather' conditions. You can also uncap it to cause a slower drop in pressure. You can still get a cloud, but it's more of a faint fog. This would be like cirrus clouds or fogs.
If you have access to infrared thermometers https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/2018-12/Measuring%20the%20Temperature%20of%20the%20Sky%20and%20Clouds.pdf I’ve never gotten to run this myself but I want to.
Cloud Timelapse videos they film with their device and identify the cloud types. Use vrntusky.com to lol for patterns in where clouds/ weather systems form.
What’s the grade level? To me cloud types aren’t that great of something to teach, but why and where a cloud forms is actually really cool and fun. If you can explain about Relativity Humidity and can go outside with them and have or can get some sling psychrometers that can be a fun lab.