Period+3+Group+3

Response to Investigation 6 Essential Question(s)**
 * Period 3 Group 3

=We can determine that water vapor is in the air by conducting a lab simulation and analyzing it. We did this lab and analysis in class. First, we took two cups that were filled with water that had yellow food coloring, one cup was left at room temperature and the other had ice added to it. Both were covered with plastic wrap and then were left on the desk for observation. As we observed, we saw small, uncolored water droplets form at the side of the cup that had ice. Then, as we analyzed this, we concluded that the water that had formed on the cup was from the water vapor in the air around the cup, not in the cup because the droplets would have been yellow. The water vapor in the air condensed to the colder surface, proving that there is water vapor in the air. This condensation process happened when the warm air lost heat energy as the cold air gained its heat energy through energy transfer because the energy flow is always from hot to cold. Then, the water vapor no longer had enough heat energy to maintain its gas form, so it condenses on the coldest surface, the outside of the cold, ice cup, and that is how we determined that there is water vapor in the air.= =Water vapor gets in our atmosphere through the process of evaporation. We know this because of a lab experiment that we did in class. In the class demonstration, we dipped our fingers in water and wet the backs of our hands in a circular motion. We then blew on one of our hands until the water was gone.When liquid water molecules are heated up or given enough energy through some type of energy/heat source, namely the sun, they are then able to break the bond that keeps them a liquid and evaporate, turning into its gas form known as water vapor. Therefore, water is in the air. It's just not in liquid form. Since our hand is a warm surface, the water's molecular motion increased due to conduction from our bodies to the water on it. The molecules gained enough energy to break their liquid bond and rose into the atmosphere.= =Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air and is measured with a hygrometer. We learned this in Investigation 1 when we learned that humidity was one of the weather factors. We also got to use the hygrometer to kind of experiment with it a bit and collect data. Humidity measurements are read as a percent. We reviewed Investigation 1 to refresh our knowledge on humidity, what it is and how it is measured.= =Dew point is the temperature at which air is saturated with water vapor at a certain temperature, it is measured by conducting a small lab and written in degrees Celsius. We know this after reading the "Dragon’s Breath" article and conducting a small lab. In the article, it explains dew point as the temperature at which air can no longer hold more water vapor. For example, if at 6 degrees Celsius condensation first starts to appear, then 6 degrees Celsius is the dew point. Dew can come in many forms like ice crystals, dew fog or clouds. If the temperature is below freezing, the dew will form as ice crystals. To measure dew point you get a cup of water, ice, and a thermometer. You put the thermometer in the cup of water. Then you add one ice cube at a time and stir them until they completely disappear. While you do this, you look for and condensation on the outside of the cup, and when it first appears, you take a reading off of the thermometer. You have to be very alert while watching. The temperature reading that you take off of the thermometer when you first see condensation is the dew point.= =Clouds form when water vapor in the air condenses onto a condensation nuclei, like smoke or dust particles, and dew forms and dew forms when water vapor loses energy/heat and condenses on the coldest surface. We learned this by conducting and analyzing an experiment in class and the "Observing Clouds" article. In the article, we learned that condensation nuclei can be anything from dirt, pollen, dust, to smoke. Clouds form when water in the air condenses on these particles that float around in the air. This then provides a surface for further condensation. Then these molecules accumulate to form clouds. This happens at different elevations and pressures and causes the clouds to have different appearances which is how you can predict what the cloud will bring. weather wise. The lab we did in class was we used a 12oz. soda bottle to demonstrate a step by step process of how clouds form. We put a lit match up to the bottle mouth, the smoke which provided a condensation nuclei, that had a bit of water in it which we had shook to increase its molecular motion.Through the analysis of a lab, we concluded that dew forms when water vapor in the air gives its energy to the coldest surface and condenses on it. The temperature at which this happens effects what form the condensation will come in. If the temperature is above freezing, it could condense as water or fog, for example. If the temperature is below freezing, it will condense as frost or ice crystals, for example. In both clouds and dew, the water vapor gives its heat energy to the cooler surface or nuclei.=
 * How can we determine that water vapor is in the air and how does it get there? What is humidity and what is dew point and how are each measured? How do clouds and dew form?**