BALLOON IN A BOTTLE

BALLOON IN A BOTTLE
Balloon in a Bottle
Objectives
 Explain how air pressure works.

Materials
 Per Demo or Class:
2 Plastic drink bottles (2 liters in size, clean and dry)
2 balloons
scissors, thumbtack, or nail (for leader to make the hole)

Key Questions
 Why did one balloon inflate and the other not? If there is no change in air pressure, the balloon
will not deflate (or inflate further)
 Why does air take up space?
 Why is it impossible to inflate a balloon inside a bottle?
 What is meant by atmospheric pressure?

What To Do
1. Before the class arrives, make a hole in the bottom of one of the bottles, 2–5 millimeters across,
using the scissors, thumbtack, or nail.
2. Select two volunteers, preferably one small student and one big student.
3. Give the bigger student the bottle without a hole and give the smaller student the bottle with the
hole.
4. Give each volunteer a balloon to place inside the neck of the bottle, stretching the open end of the
balloon over the mouth of the bottle to seal it.

5. On the count of three, challenge the volunteers to blow up their balloons!

6. Only the smaller student’s balloon should inflate (in the bottle with the hole in the bottom).
7. Thank the students and ask another pair of students to come up and repeat the demonstration (use
new balloons).