Air Pressure and Gravity

UnitLesson 4 – Experimenting with Air

Pressure Rockets

Objective

We will be able to observe and record observations about air pressure.

Vocabulary Words

air- The mixture of gases, which form the atmosphere of the Earth

air pressure – the force of air pressing on a surface

REVIEWING AIR PRESSURE

What good is a flat tire on a bike?

What good is a basketball with no air in it?

A basketball and a flat tire with no air in it have no air pressure. But as you pump more and more air into the tire and basketball, the air pressure inside a bicycle tire helps the ball bounce.

A FUN WAY TO USE AIR

PRESSUREThese are toys that squirt water. To make them work, you have to pump them up with air, almost the way you pump up a tire or ball.

The more air you pump into the toy, the more the air pressure inside it increases.

When you squirt the toy, the powerful air pressure forces the water out. The water can go a long way with a strong force of air pressure behind it.

A FUN WAY TO USE AIR

PRESSURE1. What have we learned about air

pressure so far?

2. What is happening inside the balloon?

3. What happens if I were to let go of the balloon?

4. What will happen If I were to let go of the balloon now?

In your science journals draw and write a prediction about what will happen when I let this balloon go. Then compare what happens to what you observed with the first

balloon.

A FUN WAY TO USE AIR

PRESSURE1. What happens if I were to let go of this balloon?

In your science journals draw and write a prediction about what will happen when I let this balloon go. Then compare what happens to what you observed with the first

balloon.

A FUN WAY TO USE AIR

PRESSURE1. What is the difference about Balloon 3 from the

other balloons?

2. What will happen if I keep blowing air into it?

3. What will happen when I let it go?

In your science journals draw and write a prediction about what will happen when I let this balloon go. Then compare what happens to what you observed with the first

balloon.

MAKING AIR-PRESSURE

ROCKETSToday we will build balloon rockets and test them together. Follow the directions to learn how to make and test them.

1. Group Jobs:1. person will tie the string to the chair

ends2. person will put the string through the

straw3. person will tape the balloon to the

straw4. person will let the balloon go

MAKING AIR-PRESSURE

ROCKETSToday we will build balloon rockets and test them together. Follow the directions to learn how to make and test them.

1. Tie one end of the string to the back of a chair.

2. Thread the other end of the string through the straw.

3. Pull the string taut and have one person hold it tight.

4. Tape the balloon to the straw in to places.

MAKING AIR-PRESSURE

ROCKETS1.What happened to the balloon?

2.Why did some go far and others not so far?

In your science journals draw a despcription your balloon rocket

and how it worked. Then write why your went far or not very far. Share

your observation with a partner.