1. Problem/challenge/misconception: Atmospheric pressure is caused by the
collision of air molecules on the surface
Hands-On Activity to conceptualise atmospheric pressure.
Topic: Understanding atmospheric pressure.
Approach: Active Learning
Method: Hands-On Activity
Implementing strategy:
a. Six activity stations are prepared around the laboratory.
b. Students are divided into six groups to conduct the activities in rotation.
c. Worksheet is provided at each station.
d. Teacher discusses the results of the Hands-On Activity with the students.
e. Teacher demonstrates an activity on the concept of atmospheric pressure
followed by discussion. (Optional)
Station 1: Spiderman
Station 2: Breaking of metre rule using newspaper
Station 3: Anti-gravity water
Station 4: Shelled boiled egg in conical flask
Station 5: Crumpled plastic mineral water
Station 6: Drinking of carbonated beverage
Demonstration: Crumpled tin can

2. Worksheet for Station 1
Apparatus: Suction pump (suction cap)
Instruction: Press the suction cap onto a smooth surface.
Questions: 1. What do you observe?
2. What happen to the air in the suction pump when you
press it?
3. Compare the pressure between the air in the suction pump
and the surrounding.

3. Worksheet for Station 2
Apparatus: Metre rule
Material: Newspaper
Instruction: 1. Spread a small sheet of newspaper on the table.
2. Place a half-metre rule underneath the newspaper with part of it
jutting out as shown in the figure below.
3. Try to lift the newspaper by chopping the ruler at point A with
your fist.
4. Repeat the activity with a bigger sheet of newspaper.
Metre rule
Newspaper
A
Questions:
1. Which sheet of newspaper is more difficult to lift?
2. Explain your answer.

4. Worksheet for Station 3
Apparatus: A drinking glass, a square shaped cardboard (5 cm x 5 cm)
Material: Tap water.
Instruction: 1. Fill in the glass to the brim with tap water.
2. Cover the glass with a cardboard.
3. Press the cardboard firmly and turn the glass upside down.
4. Release your hand from the cardboard when the glass is fully
inverted.
Question: 1. What happens to the water when the glass is fully inverted?
2. What causes the phenomenon that has been observed?
3. What happen if the same experiment is performed on the Moon?

5. Worksheet for Station 4
Apparatus: A conical flask
Material: A shelled hard-boiled egg, boiling water
Instruction: 1. Pour the boiling water into the conical flask to about half of its
volume.
2. Place the egg at the mouth of the conical flask with about a third
of the egg is inside the flask.
3. Shower the exterior of the conical flask with tap water.
Questions: 1. What happens to the egg after a few minutes?
(The egg slowly slides down into the conical flask)
2. Compare the air pressure inside the flask before and after the
egg slides down the mouth of the conical flask?
(The air pressure is higher before the egg slides down into the
flask)
3. Why does the egg slide down into the conical flask?
(Atmospheric pressure which is higher than the pressure
inside the flask causes the boiled egg to be pushed into the
flask)
Extension: Will you observe the same situation if this experiment is carried out
on the moon?

6. Worksheet for Station 5
Apparatus: 500 ml plastic water bottle
Material: Hot water
Instruction: 1. Pour about 200 ml of hot water into the plastic bottle and
cap it.
2. Observe the plastic bottle after 1 or 2 minutes.
3. Compare the air pressure inside the plastic bottle and the
surrounding.
Questions: 1. What happens to the plastic bottle?
2. What causes the plastic bottle to be in the state you have
observed?
Extension: Will you observe the same situation if this experiment is carried out
on the moon?

7. Worksheet for Station 6
Apparatus: Two drinking glasses, drinking straws
Materials: Carbonated beverage
Straw B
Straw A
Perforation
Carbonated
beverage
Glass A Glass B
Diagram 1
Instruction: 1. Set up the apparatus as shown in Diagram 1.
2. Using the drinking straws, try to drink the beverage in glass A
and glass B.
Question: 1. Which straw enables you to drink easily?
2. What will happen to the air column in drinking straw A when you
drink from glass A?
3. Compare the air pressure inside straw A with the surrounding air
pressure.
4. What will happen to the air column in drinking straw A when you
drink from glass B?
5. Compare the air pressure inside straw B with the surrounding
air pressure.
Discussion: 1. Explain the causes of the phenomena that have been observed.

8. Effect of altitude on the magnitude of atmospheric pressure
1. Have you ever traveled using airplane or mountain climbing or being at the
top of a tall building?
2. Do you experience any pain in your ear?
3. Teacher and students discuss the effect of altitude on the magnitude of
atmospheric pressure using the diagram below.
Atmospheric limit
H1
H2
H3 A
B
C
Sea level
4. Compare the air columns at position A, B and C (the sea level). Which air
column is the longest?
5. Which position experienced highest atmospheric pressure?
6. What can you say of the relationship between the altitude and the
magnitude of the atmospheric pressure ?
Discussion: With the aid of the diagram below, teacher explains that the higher
the altitude, the lower the air pressure.

9. Outer limit
h2 Earth`s
h1 atmosphere
Earth

10. Topic: Understanding Gas Pressure
Approach: Constructivism
Method: Effective Questioning Technique
Strategy: Teacher demonstrates Kit Model Theory Kinetic, followed by
effective questioning technique to build understanding on the origin
of gas pressure.
Imagine that the polystyrene balls represent the air molecules trapped in an
closed container as shown in the diagram below.
polystyrene balls
(a) What can you say about the number of polystyrene balls (air molecules) in
the closed container ?
(b) What can you say about the motion of the molecules?
(c) State the type of collision between the molecules and the wall of the
container.

11. +v -v
m m
Wall of container
(d) What is the momentum of the air molecule before the collision?
(e) What is the momentum of the air molecule after the collision?
(f) What is the change in momentum?
(g) If there are n molecules collide with the wall in t seconds.
What is the total change of momentum in t seconds ?
(i)
(ii) What is the change of momentum in one second ?
(ii) What is the rate of change of momentum ?
(iv) What is the total impulsive force acting on the wall of the
container ?