The Air in There

Science, science, science. All my boy wants is science. Not my favorite topic, but hey . . . it's his education, right? Even though we're currently doing a human body unit study, Noah is obsessed with the book of weather experiments so we found one for which we had all the supplies handy.

To see how air molecules (or molefules, as Noah would say) expand and contract with temperature, we started by inflating and measuring a balloon. And when I say "we", I really mean Jim and Noah; I've been busy with party prep for Ava's birthday, so I left this one for the boys.

Anyway, after measuring at 26 1/2 inches, the balloon was placed in the freezer for five minutes. After that time, it measured only 25 1/2 inches. It was then submerged in warm water in the sink (with a baking sheet and pot on top to hold it under) for another five minutes. After warming up, it once again measured 26 1/2 inches.