Rain cloud in a jar science experiment

This easy science experiment is a fun way to explain how rain clouds work.

What you need:

• 1 x jar
• tap water
• shaving foam
• blue food colouring
• pipette or glass dropper (if your food colouring doesn’t have one)

Number of players:

Activity:

Fill your jar about three quarters full with water from the tap.

Use the shaving foam to create a cloud on top of the water.

Let the foam settle a bit.

Now drop food colouring into the ‘cloud’.  As your cloud fills up, the food colouring will fall down into the water creating a rain-like effect.

How do clouds work?

Clouds are formed when water vapor rises into the air. When the vapour hits cold air, it turns back into droplets of water.  Those tiny drops of water floating in the air collect and “stick” together to form clouds. When clouds get so full of water that they can’t hold any more, the water falls back to the ground as rain.