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Crushing Can
Recommended Grade Level(s):
Appropriate for: Middle school and High school
Time Requirements:
Activity Time: 25 minutes
Teaching Topics & Concepts:
• To illustrate the presence of atmospheric pressure.
• Pressure & Gas Volume Relationship
• Relationship between gas pressure and temperature.
• State change
• Kinetic molecular theory
Background:
Understanding how gases behave in real life helps students connect to scientific principles.
Everybody has a general idea of what a gas is, especially the oxygen and nitrogen mixture we breathe in every day. Or the 14.7
pounds of pressure the atmosphere exerts on every square inch of our bodies. But how do gases behave when you change the
temperature, pressure, or volume?
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction (Newton's Third Law). Pressure is the measure of how much pushing force
something is putting on another object. In a gas, this is usually the gas pushing on the object's container or, if the gas is heavy,
something inside the gas. Newton's third law helps explain the changes in the gas pressure when we put force on the object
containing it. These concepts help us understand why our ears pop going up in an elevator or on an airplane or changes that
happen underwater for scuba divers? By observing a spectacular demonstration of atmospheric pressure crushing a can in your
science lab, students can see these principles in action.
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Safety
• When working with the Bunsen burner or boiling water
– Adult supervision is required.
– Wear safety glasses, gloves, and a lab coat.
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