SCIENCE ACTIVITY SHEET VI_15.

Experiments to study properties of air

1) Empty bottle experiment
Hypothesis - How do we know that air is there? We can feel it when the wind
blows, or we stand in front of a fan, but did you know air is ALWAYS there? Try
this simple experiment to show that air takes space.

Aim- To demonstrate the presence of the air by a simple experiment.

Material Required -- a big bowl or water trough, an empty bottle and water

An empty bottle dipped into water

Here is what you do ...
1. A large bowl is filled with water.
2. Now, the open mouth of an empty bottle is dipped into the water-filled bowl.
Does water enter the bottle held in the inverted position? Tilt the bottle
sideways and observe.

Observation - ______________________________________________________

Conclusion- _______ prevents the water from entering the bottle. _____
cannot escape out of the bottle since there is no space inside.

When the bottle is tilted sideways, the air present inside the ________ goes
out in the form of bubbles, then ________ enters the bottle by occupying the
space inside.
This experiment shows that the air occupies space, and it is present ____________
around us.
2) Lit candle covered with inverted glass tumbler

Aim: To show that air/oxygen supports burning.

Material Required: Two candles of same length and thickness and a glass tumbler
Here is what you do:
1. Fix two candles on a table.
2. Now cover one candle with an inverted glass tumbler as shown below.

3. Observe both the candles carefully.

Observation:

We observe that the candle covered with inverted glass tumbler ______
________________________ after some time whereas the other candle continues to
burn.

We also observed that _____ is still present in the glass tumbler even after the
candle got extinguished.
Conclusion: The candle got extinguished after some time because the air
component inside the glass tumbler, which supports burning, is used up for
_____________ as there is only fixed amount of air due to the presence of inverted
glass tumbler over the candle. However, the other candle is getting continuous
air supply. The __________________ of air which supports burning is known as
oxygen.

The presence of air in the glass tumbler even after the candle got extinguished
indicates the presence of some component of air which does not ________________
burning. A major part of air which does not support burning is called nitrogen.

3) Air bubbles in water

Aim: To show that air is dissolved in water.
Material Required: glass or metal container, water, tripod and a Spirit lamp
Here is what you do …
1. Take some water in a metal or glass container.

2. Heat it slowly on a tripod stand.

3. Well before the water begins to boil, look carefully at the inner surface of
the container.

Observation: Tiny bubbles are seen at the ________ surface of the container.
 Conclusion: On heating water, air escapes in the form of _________. This
shows that _____ is dissolved in water.

4) Air bubbles in the soil

Aim: To show that soil contains air.
Material Required: Beaker, soil sample and water.
Here is what you do:
1. Take a lump of dry soil in a beaker.

2. Add water to it and observe.

Observation: When water is added to soil, air is displaced by _________ and
air is seen in the form of bubbles.
Conclusion: Soil has ______ trapped between its particles.