Air Pressure

Submitted by:  Trisha M Stierlen
Endorsed by:  Dr. Don Descy
Mankato State University
2/19/98

Description:  The students will learn about air pressure through a number of fun and exciting experiments.

Grade Level:  5th grade

Goal: The students will learn about air pressure.

Objectives:

1.  The students will create a model to use to learn about air pressure.
2.  The students will do a number of activities.

Background Information:

This activity can be used with students in all of the intermediate levels.
This lesson is intended to let children see what air pressure is.

Concepts Covered:

The students will be able to relate the importance of being  specific with instructions for making an air pressure experiment.
 
Materials:

 balloons,   hot plate
 Source of water - Bottle ( an empty gatorade bottle works best)
 paper,   drinking straws
 pencil,   a power outlet
 large bucket,   empty pop can
 oven mitt

Procedure:
 Part 1- crushing a pop can.

  1.  Ask the students what they believe the definition of air pressure is.

  2.  Tell the students that we will doing an experiment involving air pressure.

  3.  Plug in the hot plate and let it heat up before using it to ensure that it gets hot enough to use for this experiment.

  4.  Place a empty pop can with a tablespoon of water in it on top of the burner.

  5.  Once the can is hot, use a oven mitt and quickly remove the can from the burner and flip it, open side down, into a bucket of cold water.

  6.  Ask the students what happened and why it happened.

  7.  Go over what happened with the students and why it happened.

 Part 2- The balloon that refuses to go into the bottle.

  1.  In advance make up many water balloons for this experiment.

  2.  Ask for a volunteer from the class.

  3.  Have him/her try to gently push the water balloon into the mouth of the bottle.

  4.  Ask the class if there are any other volunteers that would like to try.

  5.  Ask the students if they can think of any other ways to get the balloon safely into the bottle with out breaking it.

  6.  Place a drinking straw into the mouth of the bottle.

  7.  Dip the water balloon into some water to make it glide into the bottle easier.

  8.  Press the balloon down in the mouth of the bottle.  The balloon will slide down with little or no force.

  9. Ask the student why they think my way worked.

  10. Ask the students if they have any ideas on how we can get the balloon out of the bottle.

  11.  Try the different suggestions that they give.

  12.  Place the bottle upside down so the tie of the balloon falls to the opening of the mouth of the bottle.

  13.  Place the straw in the mouth of the bottle between the balloon and the mouth.

  14.  Pull the balloon out by the rubber tie on the balloon.

Assessment:
 1.  Ask the students what air pressure is.
 2.  Ask the students to name the two ways that they saw air pressure.
 3.  Ask the students to write a short paragraph on what it is that they learned today.
 

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