Page 8 - MOVING THROUGH AIR

Science Y2 – Parent Guide
INVESTIGATING HOT AIR
Truth to Teach (Source)

God has established a cyclical movement of hot and cold air to ensure there is always air
available to us, and He sustains this by His powerful word. (Hebrews 1:3)

Learning for Life (Fulfilment)

1. To appreciate the wonderful way in which God ensures a constant supply of fresh air at
the earth’s surface.

2. For the children to be more aware of hot air rising, and to be safety-conscious regarding
heaters, candles, etc.

Way to Work (Means)

1. Ask children to identify all of the following, which are true facts about air.
• Air is real.
• Air is always hot.
• Air is grey.
• Air is often moving.
• Air is invisible.
• There is no air in the desert.
• People need air.

2. Today we are going to find out more about hot air and cold air. Rather difficult as air is

invisible. If I wanted to make air hot, how could I do it? Suggest using a candle. Light it.
Blow out the flame, observe smoke rising. Actually hot air is rising and little particles of
smoke are being taken up too.

3. Notice how the air is hotter above the candle flame, than to the side of it.

4. If all the hot air rises, is there an empty space with no air in it then? Colder air fills in the
space, gets warmed, rises,  cyclical pattern. Draw this as a diagram on the board. This
is happening over the earth’s surface all the time and helps give rise to our weather.
God always makes sure we have fresh air to breathe where we are. He set it all up and He
keeps the rhythm going!

5. Returning to the candle – Montgolfier brothers – 200 years ago – thought that if it filled a
big bag shape with smoke that it would rise in the air. They were paper-makers. Their
balloon was made of paper, covered with silk. Smoke was made by burning damp straw and
chopped up wool. It travelled over 1 kilometre in its ten-minute flight. Later they realised

that it was not special smoke that made the balloon fly, rather it was hot air.
• Hot air rises.
• Hot air swells or gets bigger, making the balloon fill out.

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