Today, we have a mind-blowing experiment! You will watch as water is magically pulled into an upside-down cup. However, you may need to ask your parents to help you during this experiment because it involves fire. Let’s get started!
What you need:
- A tray
- Water
- Candles
- A lighter or match
- A glass cup
Steps:
- Place the candles upright in your tray.
- Pour the water into the tray.
- Ask your parents to help you light the candles.
- Place the glass cup over the candles and watch as the water in the cup rises.
How does this experiment work?
As we lower the cup over the candle, the candle heats the air inside the cup. The hot air starts quickly expanding in all directions, and some air travels out of the opening of the glass. Once all of the oxygen is gone, the flame goes out. Since there is no longer a candle heating the air, the air cools and contracts. This cool and contracting air creates a lower pressure vacuum inside the cup. Since gases exert a push from an area of high pressure into an area of low pressure, water is pulled into the cup until the air pressure inside the cup is equal to the air pressure outside the cup.
Source: “Rising Water Secret.” Steve Spangler Science, 17 Sept. 2015, www.stevespanglerscience.com/114wsks58tzofz7z9/.
Leila
So neat, and almost in time for my birthday! 🙂