Material Detail

Updrafts in Action

In this weather activity/demonstration, learners watch as a ping pong ball is suspended in a stream of air supplied by a hair dryer. This demonstration of the Bernoulli Principle models how updrafts (wind) supports hail and rain in clouds during storms. The discussion portion of this resource explains the science behind this phenomenon as well as how and why the National Weather Service issues thunderstorm and tornado watches. Thunderstorm...

Keywords:: National Weather Service, Tornados, NSDL, Air Pressure, Pressure, Nature and Environment, Thunderstorm, Physics, Conducting Investigations, Chemistry, Bernoull Principle, Atmosphere, Earth System Science, Weather, Atmospheric Science, Mass and Weight, Updrafts, Materials Science, Physical Science, Updraft, Geoscience, Clouds, Thunderstorms, Motion and Forces, Bernoulli, Earth Processes, Wind, General Science, Technology, Weather and Climate, Rain, Hail, Momentum and Velocity, Education, Tornado