Venus Science project

The kids and I have been reading and studying up on the Planet Venus this week. While reading this book, we discovered that Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system even tho it is the second planet from the sun. How was that possible? Venus is surrounded by a thick layer of clouds that act like a blanket around the planet. The sun's heat gets trap into the atmosphere and cannot escape. Steven Kipp gave this fun science project to do to better explain the Green House that is occurring on the Planet Venus. This is an easy project you can do at home.


First fill two containers with soil one container should have a lid and the other no lid. We used a glass jar for one and a Tupperware container for another.





Next add seeds to both containers. I had the children use Water cress seeds as they are very quick to sprout.







Next add water to each container








Put lid on the jar and place on a window sill. Basically we built a small Terrarium. However we were testing to see which seeds would sprout first the lidded jar or the open jar. The directions on the seed pack said the water cress would be ready to sow in 8 days.








The next day we saw immediate results the open container the sprouts had barely starting sprouting. However the glass jar there was significant plant growth.





Day 2 there still was a huge difference in the plants. We opened the jar in order to water the seedlings. The open container were all sprouted but just barely above ground. The lidded jar was doing great, must have been the green house effect:) Our jar lid was acting like the clouds on Venus, except on Venus it is so hot no plants or life can survive.

I also explained using this example, on a hot day after a car has been parked outside with all the windows rolled up, what does it feel like when you first get inside the car. HOT! The sun's rays enter the car but the heat is unable to get out thru the windows, just like a glass greenhouse. I think my kids understand this concept...Next week we are studying planet Earth and the Moon.