Kids Science Experiments - Killer Straw
Pressure Experiment
Killer Straw
Materials you will need:
• Raw Potato
• Plastic Drinking Straws
Steps:
1. Place the potato on a table top.
2. Hold the straw at the top (without covering the hole).
3. Try to stab the straw into the potato.
4. Next, hold your thumb over the hole in the top of another straw.
5. Try to stab this straw into the potato.What happens -
1.) The open-ended straw bends and only a little bit of the straw penetrates the potato.
2.) The closed straw (with your thumb overing the top of the straw) cuts deeply into the potato.
The air trapped inside the straw gives the straw enough strength to penetrate the skin of the potato. As the straw enters the potato, the potato plug compresses the air inside the straw, increasing the air pressure, and strengthening the straw.
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