What does a temperature inversion mean for air quality?
When a temperature inversion is in place, there is a warmer layer of air above a colder layer of air. This warmer air is like a lid, trapping pollutants near ground level where we are breathing.

Learn more about temperature inversions in this edition of Spokane Clean Air's, "3 Minutes."
Temperature Inversion Experiment
In this experiment, we use warm air, cold air and smoke to demonstrate how air pollution can become trapped at ground level during a temperature inversion.

As you will see, the smoke (or air pollution) stays in the bottom jar and the top jar remains smoke-free.

In contract to a normal day, we can see that smoke will disperse and flow into both jars.
Critical Reading Activity
Help students discover more about temperature inversions with this critical reading activity.

This activity was designed to help students understand the science behind temperature inversions and how the weather phenomenon impacts our air quality.

Once they have completed the reading, students can test their critical reading comprehension with a few questions about temperature inversions.

A PDF of the activity can be found here.
Request a virtual visit from a clean air educator
We are available to engage students in Spokane County with virtual presentations.

Presentations can be customized to fit your current lessons and provide a fun way for students to discover more about Spokane's air quality. Contact Stephanie at smay@spokanecleanair.org to schedule a presentation.
We want to hear from you!

Have an idea or question you'd like answered in an upcoming edition? Let us know!

Email Stephanie at smay@spokanecleanair.org