Hot Science: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

What you need:

• - Aluminum foil
• - Medium-sized box
• - Glass bowl
• - Flashlight
• - Scissors

Steps:

1. Fill up two thirds of the glass bowl with water and set it aside.
2. Cut a piece of cardboard from the box. Make sure it is big enough to fit underneath the bowl.
3. Cut small pieces of aluminum foil and shape them into little stars.
4. Place the stars on top of the cardboard.
5. Place the glass bowl on top of the cardboard and turn off the lights.
6. Shine the flashlight on the bowl.
7. Tap the bowl and see what happens to the stars when the water moves.

Explanation:

When you shine light on aluminum while water is moving, the light travels through the air and makes the aluminum stars twinkle. Similarly, when the star light moves through the Earth’s atmosphere at night, the air it passes through makes it appear to twinkle.