Smog in a jar 🏭

Hello parents, teachers and students! If you’re looking for a fun way to explore how pollution and weather interact, check out this neat activity.

Be sure to watch GMSA@9 on Wednesdays, when KSAT Meteorologist Sarah Spivey demonstrates and explains the science behind it.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED

• Glass mason jar

• Aluminum foil

• Hot water

• Ice

• Salt

• Matches

• Piece of paper

DO THE ACTIVITY

• STEP 1: Put a little hot water in a 16 oz mason jar

• STEP 2: Put some ice sprinkled with salt on top of a piece of aluminum foil that is big enough to cover the top of the mason jar

• STEP 3: Using parental guidance, light the match and light the piece of paper on fire

• STEP 4: Quickly drop the piece of paper into the jar, allowing the water to extinguishthe paper

• STEP 5: Quickly cover the jar with the icy aluminum foil

• STEP 6: Watch as smokey fog (smog) forms in the jar

• STEP 7: After a minute or two, you can take the aluminum foil off of the jar. You should see the smog escape the jar

HOW IT WORKS

This is a perfect example of how smog and pollution can form in our atmosphere. The hot water produces steam or water vapor in the jar. Then the cold ice causes the water vapor to condensate onto the tiny smoke particles.

SCIENCE WITH SARAH

If you’d like Sarah to come to your school and conduct a science experiment live on KSAT, fill out this form. “Winners” are selected at random.