Question

The surprising experiment I am about to describe proves that air is all around you and that it presses down upon you. Air pressure is a powerful force. When you swim underwater, you can feel water pushing on your body. The air all around you does the same. However, your body is so used to it that you do not notice this. The pressure is caused by a layer (层) of air called the atmosphere. This layer surrounds the Earth, extending to about five kilometers above the Earth’s surface.

The following experiment is an easy one that you can do at home. But make sure that you are supervised (监督), because you will need to use matches. Now for the experiment.

What you need

● hard-boiled egg without the shell

● A bottle with a neck slightly smaller than the egg

● A piece of paper

● A match

Method

1) Check that the egg will sit firmly on the neck of the bottle.

2) Tear the paper into pieces and put them into the bottle.

3) Light the paper by dropping a burning match into the bottle.

4) Quickly sit the egg on the neck of the bottle.

Result

Astonishingly, the egg will be sucked into the bottle. Your friends will be amazed when you show them the experiment. But be careful when you handle matches.

Why it happened？

As the paper burns, it needs oxygen and uses up the oxygen (air) in the bottle. The egg acts as a scale in the neck of the bottle, so no more air can get inside. This reduces the air pressure inside the bottle. The air pressure must equalize, so more air from outside must enter the bottle. The outside air presses against the egg, and then the egg is pushed into the bottle! This proves that air is all around and that it is pressing down on us.

1.Why is there the need to take care when you are doing the experiment?

A. The bottle could break.

B. You need to light the paper with a match.

C. The egg needs to be shelled (脱壳).

D. The egg has to be perfectly placed on the neck of the bottle.

2. How did the egg get into the bottle?

A. The oxygen inside the bottle sucked the egg in.

B. It became soft without the shell.

C. The neck of the bottle was wide enough.

D. The outside air pressure forced it into the bottle.

3.The experiment is carried out to prove___________..

A. water pushes on your body when you swim underwater

B. the earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere

C. the pressure of air around us has a powerful force

D. the air pressure is not equalized around us

Answer 1