Chemistry Comes Alive! C C Alive! Table of Contents Index Textbooks

Atmospheric pressure


An aspirator is a device that removes gases from closed containers. This aspirator is removing iodine vapor from a filter flask. The filter flask is now connected to a metal can. The aspirator is turned on and after one minute, the can has collapsed significantly. Once air has been removed from inside the can, atmospheric pressure crushes the can and eventually squeezes it into a very much smaller volume than at the beginning. Atmospheric pressure is about 14.7 pounds per square inch, enough to crush a strong metal can or to support a column of water about 30 feet high.


The file name of this movie is ATMOS12.MOV and is located in the directory/folder named MOVIES/ATMOSPH.


If your browser has not brought the movie into the above space (you might be running a version of Netscape earlier than 3.0 or not have the proper plug-in), clicking on the following will possibly access the movie. Play movie.

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.