Cloud in a Bottle

Even though we don't see them, water molecules are in the air all around us it's called water vapor. When the molecules are bouncing around in the atmosphere, they don't normally stick together.

Squeezing the sides of the bottle forces the molecules to squeeze together or compress. Releasing the pressure allows the air to expand, and in doing so, the temperature of the air becomes cooler. This cooling process allows the molecules to stick together more easily forming tiny droplets and clouds are nothing more than tiny water droplets!
The smoke in the bottle also helps this process. Water particles will group together more easily if there are some solid particles in the air to act as a nucleus. The invisible particles serve as the nucleus and help in the formation of the cloud. Clouds on Earth form when warm air rises and its pressure is reduced. The air expands and cools, and clouds form as the temperature drops below the dew point. The invisible particles in the air may be in the form of pollution, smoke, dust or even tiny particles of dirt.



www.SteveSpanglerScience.com