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             .....
================================================================
================================================================

     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.