3-5 Earth Science How do rocks react to vinegar? Collection of rocks Vinegar Plastic cup for each rock Small samples of calcite 1. Place the sample of calcite into a cup. 2. Pour about 25 ml of vinegar on the calcite. 3. Observe what happens (The reaction between the calcite and vinegar will produce continuous, tiny bubbles that form strings). 4. Perform the same procedure with three or four of the rocks from the collection. 5. Do tiny, continuous bubbles occur with all of the rocks? 6. Group the rocks according to the way they reacted to the vinegar. Geologists use the acid test to determine if calcium carbonate is contained in rocks. This test is normally performed with dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl). Vinegar is a weak acid and can be used to perform this test. Limestone and marble are rocks that will fizz when the acid test is done. NOTE: Be sure that the bubbles are tiny and continuous and form strings. Air pocket bubbles are larger and not continuous. They tend to cling to the rock for a while before they rise to the surface. E.5.C.4 Students know rock is composed of different combinations of minerals. 2
K-2 Earth Science 3-5 Earth Science Quart-sized glass jar Aluminum or iron pie tin Hot water Ice cubes How can you make rain? 1. Pour a cup of hot water in a quart-sized glass jar (lid is not necessary.) 2. Put some ice cubes in a pie tin and place it on top of the jar. 3. Observe for several minutes. What happened? The hot water will heat the air in the jar and add moisture to it. The moisture-laden hot air will rise. As it nears the cold pie tin, the air will cool and condense. In time, it may actually begin raining outside the jar, as water drops form on, and fall from, the overhanging pan. Nevada State Standards E.2.A.2. Students know water on Earth can be a liquid (rain) or a solid (snow and hail), and can go back and forth from one to the other. E.5.A.2 Students know the processes of the water cycle, including the role of the Sun. 3
3-5 Earth Science What color streak does a mineral make? Collection of minerals Porcelain Sheets of various colored paper Colored pencils 1. Select one of the minerals from the collection. 2. Try to make a streak on the porcelain with the mineral 3. Does it make a streak? If so what color does it make? 7. Try to make a streak with each of the other minerals in that collection. 8. What do you notice about the color of the streak as compared to the color of the mineral? 9. Put the minerals in groups according to the color of their streaks 10. Will any of the minerals write on paper? If so, try drawing a picture. Try different colors of paper as well as different colors of minerals. One of the most common tests made in classifying minerals is the streak test. A porcelain plate, called a streak plate, is used by rubbing the mineral against it to determine the color of powder that the mineral produces. The color of the streak is frequently different from the actual color of the mineral that made it. If the mineral collection includes talc, anthracite (coal), or gypsum, students should be able to write on paper with them. s E.5.C.4 Students know rock is composed of different combinations of minerals. P.5.A.3 Students know materials can be classified by their observable physical and chemical properties (e. g., magnetism, conductivity, density, and solubility). 5
3 5 Earth Science Vanishing Water Two jars with lids Strip of paper Marker Two rubber bands Window with sunlight Water 1. Fill jar up with the same amount of water. 2. Place the strip of paper going vertically on the side of the jar attach with rubber bands. 3. Mark on the strip of paper where the water line begins. 4. Repeat steps 1 3 with second jar. It is important that the jars and the contents are as similar as possible. 5. Place lids on both jars. 6. Place in a window with sunlight. 7. Leave them for a few days & mark the water line daily. 1. Ask the question, What happened to the water? Water does not really disappear when it dries up. Tiny droplets of water rise into the air, but they are so small that they cannot be seen, so it looks like it has vanished. It turns out that water has turned into vapor. It is also called evaporation. The air is full of water vapor because water evaporates from the oceans, rivers and lakes. E.5.A.2 Students know the processes of the water cycle, including the role of the sun. 6
3 5 Earth Science Mirror Person Paper towel Water from Air 1. Hold a mirror in front of you. 2. Blow onto the mirror. 3. Look at the misty patch. 4. Have students record in science journal what they see. 5. What is happening and why? 6. Explain that tiny water droplets made the patch. 7. Compare it to on a cold winter day your breath looks like smoke because water vapor condenses in the air. There is vapor in your breath. As your warm, damp breath hits the cold mirror, the water vapor in it condenses. E.5.A.2 Students know the processes of the water cycle, including the role of the sun. 7
3 5 Earth Science Condensation Cups Small clear plastic cups Large clear plastic cups Ice cubes Sunlight 1. Place ice cubes in a large plastic cup. 2. Use the smaller cup as a lid. 3. Place the covered cup in a sunny area. 4. Observe what happens. 5. Record your observations and drawings in your science notebook. Condensation occurs when water vapor contacts a cool surface and changes into a liquid. E. 5. A. 2 Students know the processes of the water cycle, including the role of the sun. 8