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How does the balloon-in-a-bottle experiment show air pressure?
Updated: 11-Apr-2025

In this experiment, a balloon placed inside a bottle won’t inflate unless you poke a hole in the bottle. That’s because the air already in the bottle resists the expanding balloon. When you allow the trapped air to escape, the balloon can inflate.

This simple setup shows how air pressure works: air occupies space and exerts force. It’s a great way to visualize invisible forces and how pressure balances in closed systems.

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