INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THE AIR 



when we look out over the 

 houses, tree tops, and open 

 fields, that " there is nothing 

 there," but if we go out of 

 doors on a windy day, we 

 may be very forcibly re- 

 minded that there is some- 

 thing there. 



If we examine a bicycle 

 tire or a football empty of 

 everything but air, we may 

 find proof that air docs 

 showing that the air within the glass pre- re ally fill things, for everv- 



vents the water from filling the glass 



one knows that when you 



attempt to flatten out an inflated football or tire, it resists 

 and shows evidence of being filled. All of these common 



FIG. 1. Air occupying space 

 An experiment with an inverted glass 



FIG. 2. An experiment by an eleven-year-old boy 



This illustration is reproduced from a boy's drawing of apparatus which he 

 prepared to prove that air occupies space. The following directions for the 

 experiment were written by the boy, and neither the drawing nor directions 

 have been changed in any way : " Materials, some glass and rubber tubing, three 

 two-holed rubber stoppers, three bottles, and a tumbler, and also a funnel. Set 

 the apparatus up as shown in cut, and be sure that all the connections are air 

 tight. Pour water or any other fluid down the funnel. State what occurs. Why 

 do the bubbles appear ? Additional problem . When the last glass tube is covered 

 up what occurs ? Explain " 



