Objective: To investigate how environmental factors (like temperature and airflow) affect the rate of evaporation.

Materials (per group):

• 3 clear cups or shallow trays

• Water

• Measuring jug

• Labels

• Marker

  
  

  Access to:

  • Direct sunlight (e.g., near a window)

  • A fan (or simulated wind)

  • A shaded or cool area

• Timer or clock

• Data recording worksheet

Steps:

1. Label your three containers as:
   A – Sunlight, B – Fan, C – Shade

2. Measure and pour the same amount of water into each container
   (e.g., 100 ml each).

3. Place each container in its assigned condition:

   • Container A in direct sunlight

   • Container B in front of a fan

   • Container C in the shade

4. Record the starting water level (you can draw a line or take a photo).

5. Observe the containers over 30 minutes.
   Do not move them. Take notes on temperature, airflow, or any changes.

6. After 30 minutes, measure and record the remaining water in each container.

   
   

Compare results with your group. Which container lost the most water? Why?

Group Name: ____________________________
Date: ___________

PART A – Experiment Setup

1. What three conditions are you testing?
   (e.g., “sunlight”, “fan”, “shade”)

   • Cup A: ______________________

   • Cup B: ______________________

   • Cup C: ______________________
     

2. What is your prediction?
   Which cup will lose the most water and why?

PART B – Observations

Time (minutes)

Cup A (ml)

Cup B (ml)

Cup C (ml)

Start (0 min)

End (30 min)

1. Which cup lost the most water?

2. What do you think caused this?
   (Think about temperature, wind, sunlight, surface area…)

PART C – Reflection and Real-World Connections

1. What did you learn about evaporation from this experiment?

2. Why is this important for understanding water conservation or climate?

3. Can you think of a place (in Australia or overseas) where high evaporation would be a problem?
   

OPTIONAL EXTENSION

If you finished early…
Sketch your experiment and label where evaporation occurred. Use arrows and labels to show the process!