How To Make Water Run Uphill
Team Teach
MEMBERS:
Edgar Boyd
Dorothy Foreman
Earnest Garrison
Objective:
When asked, each student will be able to explain orally, or in
writing how water can run up a hill.
Apparatus needed:
1. large bucket
2. 36" glass (hollow) rod
3. 1,000 milliliter glass florence flask
4. ring stand
5. food coloring (blue or green)
6. One hole rubber stopper
7. propane torch
8. matches
9. 2 gallons of water
10. Safety eye glasses
Recommended Strategy:
Assemble apparatus for this demonstration as shown in the drawing
below.
lllll
l l
l l FLASK
l l
lllll
_____________________|_______________________
_____________________|_______________________ TABLE TOP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
...........
| |
| |
| | BUCKET
| |
FLOOR .....
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Add the food coloring (blue or green) to the water in the bucket.
Heat the flask with the propane torch until air bubbles stop coming out
of the glass tubing in the bucket. Turn off the propane torch and
allow the flask to cool for a few seconds. You should observe water
from the bucket moving up the glass tubing and filling the florence
flask. You have now made water run up a hill.
Conclusion:
The principle that explains your demonstrations is atmospheric
pressure. The atmosphere exerts a pressure of 14.7 lbs. per square
inch (15 lbs.) at sea level. When the flask was heated, the expanding
gas (air) in the flask was forced out and down the glass tube. As the
flask cooled, the atmospheric pressure forced the water in the bucket
to go up the glass tubing and replace the air that was forced out of
the flask.
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