Thermal Expansion of Water
https://scied.ucar.edu/activity/thermal-expansion-water
https://scied.ucar.edu/activity/thermal-expansion-water
UCAR Science Education Group, University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Activity takes one class period. Additional materials needed.
Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»
See how this Short Demonstration/Experiment supports the Next Generation Science Standards»
Climate Literacy
This Short Demonstration/Experiment builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.
Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.
Excellence in Environmental Education Guidelines
1. Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills:G) Drawing conclusions and developing explanations
Other materials addressing:
G) Drawing conclusions and developing explanations.
Other materials addressing:
G) Drawing conclusions and developing explanations.
1. Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills:B) Designing investigations
Other materials addressing:
B) Designing investigations.
Other materials addressing:
B) Designing investigations.
1. Questioning, Analysis and Interpretation Skills:C) Collecting information
Other materials addressing:
C) Collecting information.
Other materials addressing:
C) Collecting information.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:A) Processes that shape the Earth
Other materials addressing:
A) Processes that shape the Earth.
Other materials addressing:
A) Processes that shape the Earth.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:B) Changes in matter
Other materials addressing:
B) Changes in matter.
Other materials addressing:
B) Changes in matter.
2. Knowledge of Environmental Processes and Systems:2.1 The Earth as a Physical System:C) Energy
Other materials addressing:
C) Energy.
Other materials addressing:
C) Energy.
Notes From Our Reviewers
The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.
Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about
how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy |
Technical Details
Teaching Tips
- Experiment fits well in a learning sequence on sea level rise and climate change.
- Activity can easily be done without a bunsen burner. It works well if the flask is put in sunlight (which is a much more realistic set-up and better comparison to what is happening in the real world). It takes less than a 45-min class period for the water level to rise significantly.
About the Content
- Easy demonstration to support a discussion about thermal expansion and global sea level rise.
- Additional background information necessary to support the concept of thermal expansion in oceans and the connection to global warming.
- Comments from expert scientist: Experiment is visual and simple to perform but the explanations are sketchy and some points are false. It is advised to track down other background materials for explanations.
About the Pedagogy
- Detailed instructions for the experimental set-up are included; activity can be done as a class demonstration or a hands-on experiment.
- Hands-on activity will engage students of different learning styles.
- The “Important points to remember” might confuse students. The wording is not scientifically clear, “If this heat from global temperature rise is passed on to the water, water expands and increases in volume.” Another way to write this might be “As the lower atmosphere warms up due to added greenhouse gases, some of the heat is passed on to the ocean. The oceans warm up, and the water expands and increases in volume. At the present, warming of ocean water is raising global sea level because water expands when it warms.”
