Surprising Science Puzzles

Description

The study of weather is called meteorology, but unlike any other science, weather is really a combination of several different scientific disciplines. The building blocks of meteorology include elements of physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology and geology. The study of weather is also greatly influenced by mathematics, social studies and economics. The appreciation of meteorology's interdependence among other disciplines is fundamental to this collection of laboratory experiments. Useful as a resource for teachers, "Weather in the Lab" teaches students about meteorology by showing them how to actually simulate real-world weather phenomena in the classroom. These simple laboratory models not only foster an understanding of weather occurrences, but they also highlight the relationship of weather to other areas of study. Thomas Richard Baker has compiled a list of 25 projects, covering a wide array of topics. Designed especially for group work and easily completed in one class period using inexpensive materials, these experiments show students how to, among other things: calculate the diameter of the sun; record, graph and analyze weather; determine dew point and relative humidity; generate small-scale cold and occluded fronts; predict the effects of geography on weather; collect and study precipitation; make convection cycles using smoke. In addition to being a resource for multidisciplinary study, "Weather in the Lab" also aims to raise students' awareness of important environmental issues