How quickly does water evaporate from objects and make them dry out? Try these investigations to find the best drying conditions.
Cut a piece of cloth into six pieces -- make them all about the same size. Wet all the cloths
 | Put one in the sun and one in the shade |
| hand one in a breeze and one in still air. |
| Leave one folded or squashed into a ball and spread one out flat. |
Which piece of cloth dries first? Why do you think that is?
Water evaporates most rapidly in a warm sunny place. A breeze carries away the water vapor that evaporates from the surface of the cloth and this helps the cloth to dry. Spreading out the cloth also makes it dry faster, as water can evaporate from the whole surface. So the vest time to dry the was is in warm, windy weather and the clothes will dry faster if they are spread out.
More things to try
Compare different materials, such as artificial and natural fabrics. Put them in the same place and see which of them dries first.