DIY cloud in a cup experiment

Spring is everywhere and with spring comes rain. This week Cold Spring’s Growing Scientists are studying weather with this fun cup in a cloud experiment.Try this one at home with our easy-to-follow instructions…no lab coat needed.

Instructions

Here’s what you’ll need:
Shaving cream
Clear cup of cold water
Food coloring

Spray a good dollop of shaving cream on top of your cup of water.

Drop in food coloring. Any color is good but blue gives a very cloudy effect.

The finished product!

The Science

The shaving cream represents the cloud and the blue food coloring represents the rain.

As the water droplets inside a cloud continue to grow, they eventually become heavy enough to fall to earth. The same thing is happening in this experiment.

The shaving cream becomes so saturated, the blue food coloring eventually pushes through into the cold water.

The molecules in the cold water are moving slowly, therefore it takes longer for the blue food coloring to spread throughout the water. This makes the blue food coloring look like streams as it pushes into the water.

Video from our Instagram

Create your own cloud in a cup this afternoon at Cold Spring’s Growing Scientists. You can try this one at home. All you need is a cup, water, shaving cream & food coloring. #science #steam #stem

A video posted by Campbell Co. KY Library (@campbellkylib) on Mar 16, 2016 at 10:28am PDT

Upcoming Growing Scientists Programs

Wednesday, April 6, 4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
Cold Spring Branch