JoinIdea Bank: Inquiry and the Collapsing Can
The Collapsing Can demonstration has reached classic status for illustrating pressure and properties of gases for students of all ages. But how effective is this demonstration for promoting learning? How can it be converted from simply a dramatic event into an opportunity for scientific reasoning? The answers to these thought-provoking questions are found through the use of scientific inquiry. This classic demonstration has been modified into an activity that is more in concert with the inquiry criteria of the National Science Education Standards.