DOES GAS TAKE UP SPACE???

MATERIALS

Balloon
Paper towel
Drinking glass
Sink of water
Optional: Styrofoam peanut

PROCEDURE

1. Have child blow up a balloon. Ask, “What is inside this balloon?” (carbon dioxide gas molecules.) “Does the gas take up space?” (yes) “Why can’t you see the gas?” “Where does the gas go when the balloon pops?”
2. Now, stuff a paper towel into the bottom of a drinking glass so that it will not fall out when the glass is inverted.
3. Fill your kitchen sink full of water.
4. Ask, “Do you think this paper towel will get wet if we plunge this glass upside down into the sink of water?”
5. Hold the glass upside down and quickly plunge it into the water.
6. Count to ten while holding the glass underwater.
7. SLOWLY lift the glass up and out of the water. Be sure to hold the glass straight up and down.
8. Observe. What happened to the paper towel?
9. May also do this with a piece of Styrofoam. Place the Styrofoam in the water. Place your glass upside down over the Styrofoam and push straight down into the water. What happened?

EXPLANATION

Air (gas) molecules take up space. Therefore, water could not get into the glass. The paper towel, and the Styrofoam peanut, remained dry.