Why do desert animals spend their day underground? This is explained in this experiment.
Things Required:
2 outdoor thermometers
Trowel
White towel
Directions:
Dig a hole 4 inches (10 cm) deep and large enough to insert one thermometer. Cover the hole containing the thermometer with the towel. Lie the second thermometer on top of the ground. Wait for 5 minutes and then read the temperature on each thermometer. Be sure to read the underground thermometer as soon as it is removed from the ground.
This Is What Happens:
The temperature in the hole is lower than that on top of the ground.
Science Behind It:
The sun’s rays heat the air and all materials that they touch including the liquid in the thermometer. The soil on top of the ground gets much hotter because of the direct sun’s rays. The soil in the hole stays cooler because no direct heat is applied. Desert animals dig holes into the ground and stay there during the heat of the day to stay cool.
