Water Evaporation Science Projects
Water evaporation occurs when water molecules convert from a liquid to a gas. This process of evaporation can be slowed down or sped up by increasing the kinetic energy contained in the molecules. Water evaporation science projects help familiarize students with the basic laws of kinetic energy and how this energy is necessary to allow molecules to convert from a liquid to a gas.
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Wind and Heat
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Evaporation is accelerated by heat or air flow. A project to test which method is more efficient involves the use of water, a timer, an electric heater, a fan and three sponges and plastic plates. Students place a sponge on each plate and add 1/2 cup of water. One sponge is left at room temperature, one is set in front of the fan and one in front of the heater. Make sure an adult is present when the heater is on. Chart how long it takes each sponge to dry. Discuss how weather can affect the amount of moisture if the day is windy, sunny or dark.
Exposure
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In this project students will study why fabrics dry faster on a clothesline and what happens to water when it evaporates. You will need three washcloths, water, a clothesline and pins. Wet each washcloth equally and pin one to the clothesline, leave one wadded up on a plate and one stretched out on a plate. Students should record their hypothesis of which will dry faster. Chart the progress for two days, noting the wetness or dampness level each hour of the first day, and morning and evening of the second day. Graph the three setup types, time, and whether the cloth was wet, damp or dry at each time interval. Display the charts showing the hypothesis, the time records and the final graph.
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Light
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Light bulbs of different wattage can also be used to conduct a project. Students will need four light bulbs and light sockets, plastic cups, four cardboard boxes of the same size, and tape. Cut a hole in the top of the box for the light socket. Each box should have a bulb of different wattage. Place a cup in each box directly below the bulb and add equal amounts of water. After one day measure how much water is left in each cup. The box with the highest wattage bulb should have the least amount of water left. Discuss with students how this bulb was hotter and created more kinetic energy in the water molecules allowing them to break apart and be released into the air.
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