Does air take up space? Find out by doing this fun and easy experiment below. It is perfect for children grade 1st-4th
Materials: Paper towel, tall drinking glass, a pitcher or bowl of water (The pitcher or bowl of water must be taller than the glass)
Step 1: Crumble up the piece of paper towel. Place the crumbled up paper towel into the glass. Push down so the paper towel is at the bottom of the glass.
Step 2: Turn the glass upside down. Make sure that the paper towel doesn’t come out. If it does put it back in and push it down.
Step 3: Quickly place the glass upside down in the picture or bowl of water so the entire glass is under water.
Step 4: Quickly take the glass out of water.
Step 5: Turn the glass over and take the paper towel out. Is it dry?
The answer should be…Yes!
Why?
Air does take up space! The glass was filled up with air. So when it was placed upside down in the water, the water could not fill in the glass because the air was already in there. The air in the glass creates pressure, that pressure was greater than the water pressure trying to get in. Want to try something else? After you put the glass in the water tilt it a little. You will see bubbles. These bubbles are caused by the air exiting the glass and the water going in.