Air Particle Experiment

Most science experiments start with a question.; Which has more particles, indoor or outdoor air?

Have your students prepare to collect air particles with two white index cards. They can write “Indoor Air” on one card and “Outdoor Air” on the other.

They should smear petroleum jelly or put double sided invisible tape on a large area in the middle of each card. Air particles will land on the sticky areas.

Have them place the “Inside” card on a flat surface inside the house like a windowsill or table. The card should be in an open room (not a closet) and should not be moved during the experiment.

They can put the “Outside” card on a flat surface outside, such as a patio table or chair. Students should put a rock on one corner of the card to secure it. The experiment should be conducted when there’s no rain or snow being forecast.

Let the cards sit for about a week; your students can examine the sticky areas each day with their magnifying glass.

After 6 or 7 days, have her compare which card collected more particles on the sticky surfaces.

Explain that air has fine particles which cannot be seen without a powerful microscope. But they will have noticed other particles. Indoor air particles come from cooking, mold, pets, and humans. Students will have noticed more particles on the outdoor card; they come from soil, pollen, forest fires, cars, trucks, and other vehicles. In general, air has more particles and is more polluted outside of houses than inside houses.

If the students enjoyed this experiment, they could next compare air particles in different rooms of her house or measure indoor and outdoor particles for two weeks. A scientist is always curious!