Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Lab 5: All About Air Pressure
A lab experiment in a series of experiments that explores hurricanes. Students learn about the effects of the differences in air pressure with hand-on experiments and demonstrations
![Federal Aviation Administration: Air Takes Up Room [Pdf] Activity](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "Federal Aviation Administration: Air Takes Up Room [Pdf] Activity")
Other
Federal Aviation Administration: Air Takes Up Room [Pdf]
See how air takes up space by conducting this classroom experiment. With the aid of several common objects, observe the effects of air pressure.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Factors of Weather Under Pressure
How does air affect our weather? Students will conduct an experiment to demonstrate how air pressure and humidity work. Included are pictures and videos of the lesson in action, whole group and individualized instruction plans, and a...
PBS
Pbs Kids: Science Rocks: Air Lift
Through this experiment, students are challenged to lift a book (and other items) with just air. Requires simple household items, gallon-size, zipper-lock plastic bag, book, pencil, drinking straw, and tape.
Education.com
Education.com: An Air Science Experiment
[Free Registration/Login Required] With three simple items (ball of paper, 2 liter pop bottle & hair dryer) you can demonstrate the reality of air pressure. This experiment is user friendly.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Dirtmeister's Science Lab: The Air Is There
An experiment to see how the temperature of an object affects how high it bounces. This site contains web links and notes for the teacher.
NASA
Nasa: How Air Pressure Affects You
This site from NASA offers a general overview of air pressure. Explores the concept through experiments and interactive games, as well as discussion questions.
Exploratorium
Exploratorium: Science Snacks: Feeling Pressured
Feel the effects of air pressure in this activity! Activity will have students feeling a squeezing sensation as the difference in air pressure causes the air to rush from high to low pressure.
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Ucar: Clouds in the Air: Why Are They There?
An experiment that demonstrates why there are clouds in the sky. Start with air, invisible water vapor, particles we call condensation nuclei, and air pressure...the cloud comes later!
American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society: Best of Wonder Science: There's Air in There! [Pdf]
An experiment to obsevre the effects of air pressure on the water level inside a bottle.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Balloon & Straw Experiment
Investigate air pressure, motion and the forces of air currents using a bendy straw, a balloon and a rubber band.
PBS
Pbs Teachers: Card Lift Experiment
Demonstrate air pressure by using index cards to defy gravity.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: I Can't Take the Pressure!
Students develop an understanding of air pressure by using candy or cookie wafers to model how it changes with altitude, by comparing its magnitude to gravitational force per unit area, and by observing its magnitude with an aluminum can...
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Under Pressure: Ball Bouncing Dynamics
Many sports use a ball in some way or another. We throw them, dribble them, hit them, kick them, and they always bounce back. What makes a ball so bouncy? In this experiment you can investigate the effect of air pressure on ball bouncing.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Air Is It Really There?
By watching and performing several simple experiments, students develop an understanding of the properties of air: it has mass, it takes up space, it can move, it exerts pressure, it can do work.
Bill Nye
Bill Nye: A Wing and Some Air
Try this at-home science experiment to learn about air pressure.
Other
Easy Science Experiments: The Incredible Can Crusher
Can you crush a soda pop can with your bare hands? Try this experiment where with the help of air pressure you can show your friends what kind of strength you have. Make sure you stay safe! There is a video included.
Hunkins Experiments
Hunkin's Experiments: Potato Peel a Banana Automatically
Hunkin's Experiments is a group of simple cartoon illustrations of scientific principles. Some would work well in the classroom, but others have little value beyond entertaining students. All of the projects are easy to do. This one is a...
Hunkins Experiments
Hunkin's Experiments: Get an Egg In/out of a Bottle
Hunkin's Experiments is a group of simple cartoon illustrations of scientific principles. Some would work well in the classroom, but others have little value beyond entertaining students. An easy-to-do example includes using air pressure...
Ducksters
Ducksters: Kids Science Projects and Experiments: Weight of Air
Kids learn by experimenting with science. Project showing how air does have weight and creates air pressure.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Lab 6: Why Keep an Eye on the Barometer?
A lab experiment in a series of experiments that explores hurricanes. For this particular lab, students will study data from 2005 hurricane season including Hurricane Katrina. Students compare air pressure and wind speed and also "they...
Creative Science Centre
Creative Science Centre: Newton's Experiments
A collection of projects that recreated Isaac Newton's experiments as he would have built them in the seventeenth century. The projects include the mechanical advantage possible using three levers, the trajectory of a projectile, air...
Science is Fun
Fun Science: The Collapsing Can
Air pressure can be dramatically shown with this simple experiment that only requires an aluminum can, tongs, a 2-3 quart sauce pan and a stove.
Other
Educational Objects: Does Air Have Weight?
Explore the properties of air with this virtual experiment. Add air to a balloon to discover the property of weight.