An exciting way to start talking about the sun’s heat energy.  

A Monster Sciences Experiment about Energy – concentrating the sun’s heat

What you will need:

• A magnifying glass
• A balloon
• A sunny day

What you will do:

1. Blow up the balloon and tie it.
2. Take the balloon outside and place it on the ground.
3. Now hold the magnifying glass above the balloon between it and the sun.
4. You should be able to see a little spot of bright light on the balloon. Hold the magnifying glass very still and keep that bright light on the same spot on the balloon.  The sun’s energy reaches the Earth both as light and as heat. I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but the sun’s heat is being concentrated by the curved shape of the glass in the magnifying glass, so that spot on the balloon is going to get very, very hot! What do you think will happen?

Monster Questions: 

• Find out how this idea of concentrating the sun’s rays can be used for cooking.
• What other uses can you think off? Draw and label a picture of your invention.

Get this experiment here or as part of a bundle of Heat Experiments here.