Air Pressure Learning Stations

Air Pressure Learning Stations

Air Pressure: When the molecules of air collide with a surface they exert a pressure.

Bernoulli’s Principle states that “where the speed of a fluid is high, the pressure is low, and where the speed of a fluid is low, the pressure is high.”

Use these concepts, diagrams and words to explain what is happening at your station.

1. Cut a piece of paper approximately 10 cm by 20 cm. Hold the short edge of the paper between your mouth and your nose and blow air under the paper to try to lift it. Now place the paper just below your mouth and blow again. What happens? Use Bernoulli’s Principle.

2. Take a sheet of printer paper and fold it in half width wise and place it on the table so that it looks like a tent. Blow through the middle of the tent. What happens? Use Bernoulli’s Principle.

3. Arrange two pop can on four straws as show in the diagram at the station. Blow air between the cans. What happens? Use Bernoulli’s Principle.

4. Fill a beaker half full with water and add a drop of food dye into it. At the half-way point of a straw, make a cut PART WAY through the straw. Bend the straw to a 90° angle. Place the bottom of the straw in the beaker of colored water. Blow air through the horizontal portion of the straw. Use Bernoulli’s Principle.

5. Place several pieces of confetti into a beaker. Bring your mouth level to the rim of the beaker and blow a hard stream of air horizontal across the top (opening) of the beaker. What happens? Use Bernoulli’s Principle.

6. Fill an Erlenmeyer flask with water. Place a piece of cardboard over the opening of the flask so the flask’s rim is completely covered. Over a sink, press your flat palm against the cardboard and turn the flask upside down. If water is leaking out, simply press the cardboard more firmly against the rim until it stops. Slowly remove your hand from the cardboard. What happens?

7. Fill an Erlenmeyer flask with water. Place a piece of wet netting over the opening of the flask so the glass rim is completely covered and hold the netting in place. Over a sink turn the flask upside down. What happens?

8. Place a ping pong ball into the funnel and blow air through the hose. Start with the funnel opening facing up. Rotate the funnel so that it points down. What happens? Use Bernoulli’s Principle.

9. Fill two 2L bottles ¼ full with hot water. Place the caps on the bottles and shake them over a sink for 10 seconds. Pour the water out of both bottles and quickly replace the cap on one of the bottles, leaving the other one open. Closely watch what happens to the two bottles over the next five minutes. What happened? Why?

10. Lay a ruler on a table with about 8 cm hanging over the edge. Lay a sheet of printer paper (21.5 cm x 28 cm) on the part of the ruler that is in direct contact with the table. Press the paper against the table so it is as flat as possible. Press down on the part of the ruler that is hanging over the edge. Repeat this process using an opened sheet of newspaper instead of the printer paper. Which sheet of paper was more difficult to lift? Why does this happen?