Skip to main content
Mostly Clear icon
95º

🧪 Science with Sarah: Balloon Thermometers 🎈

Meteorological magic!

👉 Watch the video of Sarah’s school science experiment at Sun Valley Elementary here!

Hello parents, teachers and students! If you’re looking for fun way to explore meteorology with your elementary aged kids, this experiment is for you!

Be sure to check out GMSA@9 on Wednesdays when Meteorologist Sarah Spivey does the demonstrations and explains the science behind it. Check out our Science with Sarah webpage for more fun science experiments!

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Balloon thermometer materials (Copyright KSAT 2023 - All rights reserved)
  • A balloon
  • A sturdy water bottle, filled with a little water
  • A large bowl of ice-water
  • A large bowl of hot water

DO THE EXPERIMENT

  • STEP 1: Blow up the balloon to stretch it out a bit. Let all the air out
  • STEP 2: Place the deflated balloon over the water bottle
  • STEP 3: Put the water bottle into the hot water and watch what happens. You should see the balloon inflate a little bit
Balloon Thermometer in hot water (Copyright KSAT 2023 - All rights reserved)
  • STEP 4: Put the water bottle into the bowl of ice water. Notice that, slowly, the balloon will start to deflate.
Balloon thermometer in cold water (Copyright KSAT 2023 - All rights reserved)

HOW IT WORKS

This is an easy way to quickly understand how the weather works. Warm air expands and fills the balloon. On the other hand, cold air contracts and condenses, deflating the balloon.

SCIENCE WITH SARAH

If you’d like Sarah to come to your school and conduct a science experiment live on KSAT, fill out this form. “Winners” are selected at random.


About the Authors
Sarah Spivey headshot

Sarah Spivey is a San Antonio native who grew up watching KSAT. She has been a proud member of the KSAT Weather Authority Team since 2017. Sarah is a Clark High School and Texas A&M University graduate. She previously worked at KTEN News. When Sarah is not busy forecasting, she enjoys hanging out with her husband and cat, and playing music.

Robert Samarron headshot

Recommended Videos