Rain & Shine
Western Colorado's Weekly Nature and Science Update. Rain & Shine is a regional weekly nature and science short-form podcast that explores how the planet works and how we work with the planet. At three to five minutes, these bitesize episodes seeks to inspire awe for the natural world and provide basic science education for people of all ages. Episodes are based off questions asked by the public, or friends and family, and are purposefully designed to invoke curiosity and place the listener in a familiar context. Episodes include a written summary and linked citations, and may be used as school curriculum, or as stand-alone pieces for public entertainment and education. Rain & Shine is excited to be joining forces with The Learning Council and to now be available free for all western Colorado public radio stations.CONTACT: Email us at rainshineweekly@gmail.com and find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RainShinePodcasthttps://thelearningcouncil.org/rain-and-shine/
Rain & Shine
04: Snowflakes
Water is life. It makes up 71% of Earth’s body and 60% of ours. An essential element it is often characterized by being in motion: flowing, ebbing, falling, freezing, melting, vaporizing, condensensing. Water is ever cycling through its different states of being, as a gas (vapor), a liquid (water), and a solid (ice).
One thing we don't often think about is how the speed, or the energy in the water molecules, determines water’s different states: vapor, liquid, solid. The water molecules of crystalized water in our winter wonderland are still. As water cools it loses thermal energy (heat), and as that energy goes the water molecules begin to slow down, until at 0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit they stand still and condense, locking together to form solid ice. When water gets warm, the molecules regain energy and start to move, breaking apart and eventually moving around each other forming liquid water. H20 molecules that continue to warm and gain energy eventually move so fast that they leave their liquid state to become a gas, evaporating into water vapor. In the air they rise and then congregate creating clouds. If they continue to come together they become heavier and cooler until they condense and fall as rain.
CONTACT: Email us at rainshineweekly@gmail.com and find us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RainShinePodcast