How do you know air is real? Since it is invisible, you certainly can’t see it. Can you prove it really exists? The following experiment will give you the answer.
Things Required:
A stiff rubber pad or plastic lid
A glass of water (clear plastic is best)
A deep basin or pot almost filled with water
A medicine dropper
Directions:
Fill the glass with water. Put the waterproof pad over the mouth of the glass. Hold it in place with your hand. Now, carefully turn the glass upside down and place it under the water in the pot or basin until it is completely under the surface. Do not remove the pad until the glass is completely under the water and touching the bottom of the pot.
Observe the water level in the glass. Tilt the glass to one side and carefully place the empty medicine dropper under it. Squeeze the dropper. Remove the dropper from the pot and squeeze the water out of it. Repeat what you did before (squeezing the empty dropper under the glass). Do this several times. You’ll know you’re doing this experiment correctly when after squeezing the dropper, you see bubbles entering the glass of water.
This Is What Happens:
Air bubbles move up the inside of the glass, and the water level in the glass gets lower.
Science Behind It:
Air was in the medicine dropper when you squeezed it. The bubbles on the side of the glass were the air forced out of the dropper. As you “pumped” air into the glass with the dropper over and over, you saw the water level in the glass go down. Since the air had to go somewhere, it displaced some of the water, forcing it out of the glass. Now you know that air is real. It takes up space.
