Learn about air pressure in this fun and simple science experiment.

You Will Need

• 1 hard-boiled egg with shell peeled off
• 1 glass bottle
• Matches or lighter
• Strip of paper

The Experiment

1. Light the strip of paper on fire and drop it into the bottle.
2. Place the egg onto the mouth of the bottle.
3. Once the flaming paper extinguishes itself, watch as the egg is sucked through the opening and drops into the bottle.

The Science

Before the experiment begins, the air pressure is equal inside and outside the bottle. When you place the burning paper inside the bottle, the air inside the bottle heats up and expands. When the fire goes out, the air inside the bottle cools down, the air contracts, and the air pressure drops, meaning there is less air pressure inside the bottle than outside. The higher air pressure outside the bottle pushes the egg into the bottle.

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