The Air is Still in There

I was wondering why? When I fill up a beaker with water and place a bottle full of air into the beaker (nose down) why doesn’t the bottle fill up with water. I know it has to do with pressure but I need more information. Thanks
- April Fitzwater
Blue Eye Mo United States

When you put the bottle in the water, the air wants to move up. That’s because it is lighter than water. But the only opening of the bottle is pointing down into the water. The air isn’t able to go down into the water in order to get out. Since the bottle is filled with air, the water can’t go in to fill up the space. You can’t have 2 things in the same space at the same time, so nothing happens.

Adam

(published on 10/22/2007)