How to Make a Cloud in a Bottle

How to Make a Cloud in a Bottle

There's no need to look up to see the clouds in the sky when you can make a fun cloud of your own at home! All you need is a glass jar or plastic soda bottle and a few common household items. Try this easy experiment to have your own cloud in a bottle.

Have the following on hand:

• Large glass jar (one gallon size)
• Matches
• Rubber glove
• Rubber band
• Flashlight or lamp
• Food coloring
• Water

Pour boiling water into the jar. Use just enough water to cover the bottom of the jar. You only want to use a small amount of water so that the water can evaporate.

Put the rubber glove wrist around the mouth of the jar. Have the fingers of the glove pointing downward into the jar. This will seal in the air into the jar.

Try putting your hand in the glove. Once your hand is in the glove, move it upward so that you pull the fingers of the glove up. You’ll notice that nothing happens to the water in the jar.

Light a match and drop it in the jar. Take the glove off the jar for just a moment. Light a match (or have an adult light it for you) and drop it in the jar. Stretch the glove back over the jar, with the fingers pointing down into the jar.

• The water at the bottom of the jar will put out the match, and smoke will form in the jar.

Put your hand in the glove again. Slide your hand into the glove and pull it outward again. This time, a cloud will form in the jar. When you put your hand back inside the jar, the cloud will disappear.^[1]

• This will last for 5-10 minutes, and then the particles will settle into the bottom of the jar.

Shine a flashlight on the jar. When you shine a light on the jar, you will be able to see the clouds better.

Understand how this works. The air is full of warm water vapor molecules inside the jar. The air is compressed by the glove because the glove takes up some of the space inside the jar. Pulling the glove fingers out of the jar releases some space in the jar. The air inside the jar cools. The smoke from the match acts as a vehicle that the water molecules can attach to. They stick to the smoke particles, condensing into cloud droplets.^[2]

• When the glove fingers go back into the jar, the air inside the jar warms up again and the cloud disappears.