Air pressure is the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on Earth. We measure air pressure using a barometer. Have you ever climbed a mountain or visited an area at high altitude and found you get out of breath more easily? This is because air pressure decreases at higher altitudes. Have you been on a plane and felt discomfort in your ears? This is due to changes in air pressure. Changes in air pressure allow for lots of cool science experiments, here are some of our favourite air pressure experiments.
Air Pressure Experiments
Make a Drinks Dispenser
This easy drinks dispenser is a brilliant science project and useful too! Party guests will wonder how this fun science trick works!
Make a Bottle Rocket
My favourite and the most impressive is this fantastic bottle rocket! Make sure you have a lot of space to do this, ours flew with a lot more force than we expected.
Blow Paper into a Bottle
Try and blow a ball of paper into a squash bottle and watch it fly back out, this one had my 6 year old in hysterics and is a super simple demonstration of air pressure.
Make a Barometer and Measure Air Pressure
Record air pressure over a period of time with this easy to make barometer.
Egg into a Jar
Watch an egg magically drop into a jar after heating the air inside, which starts to escape past the egg; then, as the air cools again, the now higher-pressure air on the outside forces the egg into the jar.
Make a Fake Lung
Find out how your lungs work with this fun fake lung activity.
Rising Water Air Pressure Demonstration
Watch water rise up into a glass with this simple air pressure demonstration using a candle, water and glass.
We also love this fun air pressure game on Kids Activities Blog.
Can you think of any more air pressure experiments or activity ideas to demonstrate air pressure for us?
Last Updated on March 8, 2023 by Emma Vanstone
I am definitely going to try this experiments because kids love all these activities and there are generally very eager to experiment new things.