The air around Earth — Earth science, 4–6 years
Air is invisible, but it fills the space around us and helps living things breathe. Earth science, 4–6 years.
Air is there, even when we cannot see it
Air is an invisible mixture that surrounds Earth and fills every open space. You can feel it when you wave a fan or run outside, and you can see what it moves, such as a leaf or a kite. People and animals need air to breathe.
Why notice something invisible?
People needed to explain why sails fill, leaves flutter and lungs work, even though no one can see air itself. They learned about air by noticing its effects and by trapping it in things such as bags and balloons. This turns an invisible idea into something we can test.
A balloon shows that air is there
First, leave one balloon flat and hold it in your hand. Next, blow into a second balloon and tie its opening. It becomes round because your breath has filled it with air. Finally, press it gently: the air pushes back and the balloon changes shape.
“Air is nothing”
It is reasonable to think air is nothing because it is invisible and your hand passes through it. But empty-looking space can still be filled: an upside-down cup pushed into water keeps water out because air is inside. Air is hard to see, not absent.
Air helps many things work
We use air when we breathe, blow out a candle or fill a bicycle tyre. Air also helps parachutes slow down and lets kites rise. These examples show useful effects of air, but they do not mean air can push every object or make every machine move.
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