It's time to cool off, and there is no better way than with this DIY sprinkler!
Have you ever noticed on a summer's day that water from a hose or a sprinkler feels quite cold? Believe it or not, the water might be around the same temperature as the weather! So why does water feel colder than the air around us?
It's all about conducting. Not the kind of conducting that a conductor on a train does or a conductor in front of an orchestra! In the science of physics, conducting means to transfer energy -- in this case, heat. Water is a better (faster) conductor than air. Here's how it works:
Your body heats anything that comes into contact with it that is colder than your body temperature. Because water conducts heat at a very fast rate, when you touch cool water, your body will use up a lot of energy to try to heat it -- it's almost like the water is sucking the heat right out of you! The surrounding air, even if it's the same temperature as the water, does not transfer heat away from your body at such a rapid rate. This is why water at the same temperature of air feels colder to you. And, if the air is warmer than your body's temperature -- as it typically would be on a summer's day -- your body is no longer trying to give off heat, it's actually absorbing heat. Our bodies judge heat by the rate of these heat gains and losses. So, our brain concludes that water and air, in comparison, are often much different temperatures than they actually are!
Now, let's build something fun that will cool us off on a hot day!
Materials:
Directions:
Attach the garden hose to the bottle using waterproof tape.
Drill a number of holes into the bottle (you'll need an adult to do this step).
Turn on the water and enjoy!
AGE GROUP: | Family | Children |
EVENT TYPE: | Youth Program/Class | Online |
TAGS: | STEM | STEAM | Science | Critical Thinking |
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