Air pressure can crush an empty soda can. The experiment involves heating a can with a small amount of water inside until steam builds up, then quickly inverting it into cool water, causing the steam to condense and reduce air pressure inside the can. This lower internal pressure causes the outside air pressure to crush the can with a dull pop.

1. See Air Pressure
How powerful is air pressure? Can it crush a can? Conduct the experiment below to find out.
Materials
• hot plate
• empty soft drink can
• tongs to pick up a hot soft drink can
• shallow pan filled with cool water
Instructions
1. This experiment can get messy, so get a parent or adult to help you!
2. PLACE a spoonful of water into the can.
3. PLACE the can open side up onto a heated hotplate. As the water temperature rises, the can will
fill with water vapor and steam will escape from the can's opening.
4. USE the tongs to quickly PLACE the can, open end first (upside down), into the shallow pan filled
with cool water. Quickly, the can will be crushed, and will give off a dull "pop" sound.
What's happening
The air pressure decreases as the water vapor condenses inside the can. The can is crushed because the air
pressure inside the can is less than the air pressure outside the can.