Activity Introduction

Quick summary: This classic science experiment demonstrates how atmospheric pressure will push an egg into a bottle.

These Snappy Science resources have been created to boost science education in primary schools across Australia. Each lesson is designed to support teachers with the scientific knowledge, ideas and resources to stimulate a sense of wonder and curiosity in their students. Many of the big issues that Australian society will face in the future are around technology, energy, resources and climate change. All of these require students to engage with science – but most of all to enjoy science!

Science at Home: These Snappy Science resources can also be used to engage families in fun science and learning for life. You can download a student friendly version of this activity here and you can also check out the Snappy Science Digital Library.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.

Australian Curriculum content description: This activity is relevant to Science Inquiry Skills across all primary year levels of the Australian Curriculum.

Year 1 Science

  • Everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways (ACSSU018)

Year 2 Science

  • A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (ACSSU033)

Year 3 Science

  • A change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat (ACSSU046)

Syllabus Outcomes: ST1-12MW, ST1-7PW, ST2-12MW.

Time required: 10 – 15 minutes.

Resources required: Juice bottle, hard boiled egg, small birthday candles.

Safety advice: This activity requires the use of lit candles – depending on student age and ability this activity may be either a student-led experiment or a teacher-led demonstration.

Keywords: Egg, bottle, candle.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.

Worksheets

Teacher Worksheet

Brief summary:

This classic science experiment demonstrates how atmospheric pressure will cause an egg to be sucked into a bottle. This experiment has two options: you could choose to do one or both.

Students can use the Predict, Observe, Explain table on the Student Worksheet to describe and reflect upon this experiment.

For more information about how to conduct this experiment and for more of the science behind what happens and why, watch the following clip:

Egg in a Bottle Experiment (https://youtu.be/tmc9U_mK3v4)

Option 1 - You will need:

  • Juice bottle with an opening slightly smaller than the boiled, peeled egg.
  • Peeled hard boiled egg
  • Small birthday candles
  • Matches or lighter

What to do:

Step 1. Peel the hard boiled egg.

Step 2. Hold the egg at the wider end and slowly push two birthday candles into the top of the egg.

Step 3. Light the candles.

Step 4. Turn the bottle upside down and hold it above the flaming candles.

Step 5. Allow the flames to heat up th

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Student Worksheet

In this activity you will try to push a hard boiled egg into a bottle.

Predict

Explain what you think will happen:

Observe

Explain what happened:

Explain

Explain why you think this happened:
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