Under Pressure Water Science Experiment

This science experiment is a great way to teach your kids about how pressure works with water and air.  Kids will have fun playing a bit in water, and you’ll love knowing they are having fun learning.

Under Pressure Water Science Experiment for Kids

Materials:

• large bowl of water
• towel
• small glasses
• tissue paper

Note: If you use a large glass as shown below, make sure you can fully submerge it into your bowl of water. We could not. The bowl was not big enough to submerge the entire glass for the experiment, thus my recommendation in the materials list to use a small glass instead.

Directions:

2. Stuff tissue paper into the bottom of your glasses.

3. Turn your glass over and plunge it into the water (upside down). Make sure to keep the glass straight.

4. Lift the glass out of the water. Is the tissue wet?

Concept Demonstrated by Science Experiment: 

Air is pushing against you and other objects all the time. Water does the same thing when you are in it. This pushing is called pressure. The more you push air or water, the more the pressure increases.

Learning Objective by Science Experiment: 

The more air and water is pushed, the more it pushes back. When the glass is plunged into the water, it pushes on the air inside the glass. The water and air are pushing on each other, therefore the glass never fills with water keeping the tissue paper dry.

This simple science experiment is a great way to show how pressure works with water and air.  It is so easy to do with things you already have on hand in your home and is a great way to keep kids busy while learning.

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Thanks to Kari of Craft Create Cook for sharing her experiment and pictures with us.