Air - Is It Really There?
Name ______Date______Core_____
LT: I can observe and explain different characteristics of air.
Experiment & collect observational data at each station, then try to explain what happened!
* It doesn’t matter which station you start at. Everyone will have the chance to complete allstations!
Station 1: Air Can Move… we can feel it!
Observations* record what you see, hear, or feel / Explanation – Draw & label a picture to explain what is happening
* HINT: show the air molecules in your picture!
Use arrows to show the direction the air is moving
Station 2: Air has volume…it takes up space!
Observations* record what you see, hear, or feel / Explanation – Draw & label a picture that shows what is happening
* HINT: show the air molecules in your picture!
Use arrows to show the direction that air is moving
Why couldn’t you blow up the balloon?
Station 3: Air Has Mass
Observations / Explanation – Draw & label a picture that shows what is happening* HINT: show the air molecules in your picture!
How can you show how much each side weighs?
Meter stick with blown up balloons on both ends
Where did you have to place your finger to balance? ______cm
Meter stick with 1 blown up balloon & 1 empty balloon
Where did you have to move your finger to balance? ______cm
Station 4: Air Does Work … air can lift or move things
Observations* record what you see, hear, and feel
* Make sure your observations are detailed & specific! / Explanation – Draw & label a picture that shows what is happening
* HINT: show the air molecules in your picture!
* Use arrows to show the direction that air is pushing …
the bigger the arrow, the bigger the pressure!
Station #1
Air Can Move… We can feel it!
* Do this one together as a class demonstration
Ask:We can’t see air… so how do you know it’s there?
Do:plug in a fan & blow it at students. Instruct them to write down their observations - What do you feel? What do you see?
Observe: write down detailed observations in the “Station 1” section of their worksheet.
Think: What is air made of? What might be happening when I feel the air blowing?
Explain: Draw a picture in the Station 1 Section of your worksheet that shows what the air molecules are doing when the fan is turned on.
HINTS:
Use tiny circles or dots to represent air molecules
Use arrows to show the direction of movement
Station #2
Air has volume…it takes up space!
Directions:
Ask: Each team take1 balloon from the stack.
Do:One person hook the balloon onto the top of a 2 liter soda bottle, and the push the balloon inside the bottle. Try to blow the balloon up by blowing into the bottle.
Observe: Write down detailed observations about your balloon in the “Station 2” section of your worksheet.
Think: Why couldn’t you blow the balloon up?
Explain: Draw apicture in the Station 2 Section of your worksheet to explain what’s going on inside the plastic bottle when you try to blow up the balloon.
HINTS:
Use tiny circles or dots to represent air molecules
Use arrows to show the direction of movement or pushing
Clean-up:
Throw away used balloons & replace all Direction cards neatly in the center of the table!
Station #3
Air Has Mass
Directions:
Ask: How can you test whether air has mass when you can’t even see it?
Do #1: Take turns balancing the meter stick on one finger with a non-blown up balloon taped to each end. Notice where you have to place your finger to balance it levelly.
Observe: Write down detailed observations about the balancing meter stick in the “Station 3” section of your worksheet.
Do #2:Now balance the other meter stick, with one blown up balloon and one deflated balloon.
Observe: Write down new observations about the balancing meter stick in the “Station 3” section of your worksheet. Notice where you had to put your finger to balance it levelly this time.
Think: Why did you have to move your finger to balance the meter stick when one balloon was empty?
Explain: Draw pictures in the Station 3 Section of your worksheet showing what is affecting the meter stick’s center of balance.
HINTS:
Use tiny circles or dots to represent air molecules
Come up with a creative way to show how much mass each balloon has
Clean-up:
Make sure all balloons are still attached to the meter sticks & place them gently on the counter.
Replace all Direction cards neatly in the center of the table!
Station #4
Air does work…it can push hard and move things!
There are some words whose meaning in everyday life is not the same as in science, one of which is the concept ofwork.
In everyday use the word “work” is found in various ways, for example:
- I worked really hard on my Crossover essay in Language Arts
- Building a Lego robot is hard work
- My Mom works at a hospital
* In Physics, the word work is used specifically to describe a situation where a force (like air pressure) moves an object
Directions:
Ask:Can you think of a way to lift a pile of books using only your breath?
Do:Take turns & share one plastic bag, but DON’T SHARE STRAWS!
Place the Ziploc bag under the stack of books so that the open end sticks out
Stick your straw into the bag & seal the Ziploc around it
Hold your straw in place, pinch the bag down to keep it sealed
Carefully blow air into the bag (you may need to seal the bag between breaths)
Observe what happens to the books as the bag fills with air
Observe: Write down observations about the plastic bag and stack of books, in the station 4 section of your worksheet
Think: What moved the books? Even though we can’t see air, can it do work?
Explain: Draw a picture in the Station 4 Section that shows how the air in the bag did work on the books(pressed against the books and moved them).
HINTS:
Use tiny circles or dots to represent air molecules
Use arrows to show the direction theair was pushing (air pressure)& the direction the books moved
Clean-up:
Throw away used straws
Stack Direction cards, books, & Ziploc bag neatly on table!