======Marshmallow in a Vacuum======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Alternative titles:** Effects of Pressure on Marshmallows
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Place several marshmallows inside a sealed bell jar.  
  - Observe their normal size and shape at atmospheric pressure.  
  - Turn on a vacuum pump to reduce air pressure inside the jar.  
  - Watch as the marshmallows expand due to the trapped air inside pushing outward.  
  - Once the vacuum stabilizes, note their maximum expanded size.  
  - Slowly release air back into the jar to return to normal atmospheric pressure.  
  - Observe how the marshmallows shrink, often ending up smaller than their original size.



====Links==== 
Marshmallows in vacuum chamber - MrGrodskiChemistry: 
{{youtube>bWd31AefKns?}}\\


📄 Effects of Pressure: The Marshmallow Experiment - Mensor: [[https://blog.mensor.com/blog/effects-of-pressure-the-marshmallow-experiment]]\\

====Variations====
  * Try different foods with air pockets (e.g., sponge cake, bread, popcorn). 
  * Vary the level of vacuum to see how expansion changes.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Use caution when handling vacuum equipment.  
  * Ensure the bell jar is rated for vacuum use to prevent implosion.  
  * Do not over-pressurize or force materials into the jar.  
  * Keep hands away from moving parts of the vacuum pump.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why do marshmallows expand when air is removed from the jar? (The trapped air inside pushes outward since outside pressure is reduced.)  
  * Why do they shrink smaller than their original size when air is let back in? (Some trapped air escapes during expansion and cannot re-enter.)  
  * How is this demonstration similar to pressure changes in airplane cabins or deep-sea diving? (Both involve differential pressure acting on the body or materials.)  
  * What real-world applications depend on measuring differential pressure? (Aviation, industrial safety, medical devices, and pressure control systems.)