======Water Cycle in a Bag======


<WRAP right box>
**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** Mini Water Cycle
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====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
  - Gather materials: a clear plastic zip-lock bag, permanent marker, water, blue food coloring, and clear tape.  
  - Use the permanent marker to draw a sun and clouds on the upper part of the bag.  
  - Fill a cup with water, add a few drops of blue food coloring, and stir until mixed.  
  - Carefully pour the colored water into the plastic bag and seal it tightly.  
  - Tape the bag to a sunny window so that sunlight warms the water.  
  - Check the bag after several hours to observe evaporation (water vapor rising), condensation (droplets forming on the bag), and precipitation (droplets sliding back down).



====Links==== 
Making a Water Cycle in a Baggie! - Clayton’s Exploration Station: 
{{youtube>9YvzLQHMbT0?}}\\

Water Cycle in a Bag - funsciencedemos: 
{{youtube>dWbuYHFwjNo?}}\\

📄 How to Make a Water Cycle in a Bag - Mobile ed: [[https://www.mobileedproductions.com/blog/how-to-make-a-water-cycle-in-a-bag]]\\

====Variations====
  * Try using different amounts of water to see how it affects droplet formation.  
  * Place one bag on a sunny window and another on a shaded window to compare results.  
  * Use warm water at the start to speed up the process.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Ensure the bag is sealed tightly to prevent spills near windows.  
  * Use permanent markers carefully to avoid staining surfaces or skin.  
  * Do not drink the colored water.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does condensation appear on the sides of the bag? (Water vapor cools against the bag surface and changes back into liquid droplets.)  
  * How does this model represent rain? (Droplets run down the bag, similar to precipitation falling from clouds.)  
  * Why is sunlight important for the experiment? (It provides energy for evaporation, just like the sun drives the real water cycle.)  
  * How is this model similar to and different from the real water cycle? (It shows evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, but does not include processes like runoff or groundwater movement.)