University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Virtual Ballooning to Explore the Atmosphere Activity
In this computer-based virtual lab, students will learn about the layers of Earth's atmosphere by launching virtual balloons to collect temperature and pressure data at various altitudes. Given a limited number of balloon flights,...
Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enhancement (SMILE)
Smile: The Properties of Air
Lesson plan to teach properties of air. Students use balloons, plastic bottles, plastic bags and a meter stick to conclude that air is a gas that has weight, exerts pressure, and moves.
Other
60 Second Science: Air Putting It to Work
Investigate the properties of air. Observe the water vapor present in our exhaled breath.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Tired Weight
Learn how the air pressure in tires can be used to determine the weight of an automobile.
University of Colorado
University of Colorado: Ph Et Interactive Simulations: Under Pressure
Students studying pressure will better understand its concepts with this virtual experiment that tests how pressure changes in air and water as the fluids, gravity, container shape, and volume changes.
PBS
Pbs Kids: Dragonfly Tv Do It: Carbon Dioxide
PBS site offers an experiment kids can do at home to see how carbon dioxide can put out burning candles.
Science Fun for Everyone
Science Fun: Ping Pong
Learn about air pressure with this easy science experiment that is not only fun but appears quite magical. A video tutorial is included.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Hovercraft Racers!
Students gain first-hand experience on how friction affects motion. They build a hovercraft using air from a balloon to levitate a craft made from a compact disk (CD), learning that a bed of air under an object significantly reduces the...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: How Does a Wind Meter Work?
On a windy day it is hard to keep your hat on. The power of the wind can even be strong enough to power large wind turbines to make electricity. In this experiment, find out how you can make your own instrument to measure the speed and...
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Egg in a Bottle
Examine how differences in air pressure affect objects with this classroom experiment.
Other
Steve Spangler Science: Egg in the Bottle Trick
This resource provides information and demonstrates the egg in the bottle trick.
Science is Fun
Science Is Fun: The Collapsing Can
An experiment using an aluminum can and boiling water that demonstrates that the air around us has pressure, although we may not be aware of it.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Balloon Car
Make 4-wheeled, air-powered cars that jet across the floor. Experiment with the design process and thrust in this activity from Design Squad Nation.
Bill Nye
Bill Nye: Barometer in a Bottle
Try this at-home science experiment to learn how to build your own barometer.
Museum of Science
Museum of Science and Industry: Online Science: Activities: Pop Rockets
An experiment where students launch a simple rocket using a film canister, water, and an antacid tablet.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Bernoulli Levitator
This activity illustrates Bernoulli principle by suspending an object in the air by blowing down on it.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Create a Portable Cloud
In this hands-on activity, students experiment to discover how moisture, pressure, temperature, and condensation nuclei play a role in cloud formation.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Bill Nye Demonstration: Candle in a Bottle
Watch and learn with Bill Nye the Science Guy as he demonstrates this classic candle experiment. [0:57]
PBS
Pbs Kids: Cartesian Diver
This PBS site shows users how they can make their own cartesian divers, discover how it works, and have some fun at the same time.
Science Bob Pflugfelder
Science Bob: Make Your Own Balloon Rocket!
This site contains a brief procedure for building (and launching) a balloon powered rocket. Introduces concepts of air pressure and propulsion.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating Best Amount of Water to Fly a Bottle Rocket
In this rocket experiment, students will investigate the question, "Which amount of water will cause the rocket to stay in the air the longest?" Students will compare how long the rocket was in the air with how much water was in the...
Physics Central
Physics Central: Physics in the Kitchen: The Magical Can Crusher
Students will see first hand the force that is created by pressure as a can crushes before their eyes. This demonstration will show students how a can will collapse due to pressure from the air outside pushing against the can's exterior...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Vernier Boyle's Law
The primary objective of this experiment is to determine the relationship between the pressure and volume of a confined gas. The gas we use will be air, and it will be confined in a syringe connected to a Pressure Sensor (see Figure 1)....