DemoTK

Upside-Down Water Cup

The water stays in the upside-down cup.

Teaching & key ideas

What you do: Cover a full cup with a card, invert it, then release the card. What students see: The water stays in the upside-down cup. Why it works: Air pressure pushes upward on the card more than the water pushes down. Question to ask: What is holding the card up?

Lesson flow

Predict → demonstrate → observe → briefly explain → ask: What is holding the card up?