ABSTRACT
AIR PRESSURE Sere, working with eleven French 11-to I3-year-olds, found pupils thinking that only wind, and not still air, has pressure.IO Working with eighty-four 12-, 14-and 16-year-olds, Engel Clough and Driverll found high percentages (67 per cent, 80 per cent and 87 per cent respectively) thinking that pressure increases with depth. However, pupils were less inclined to think in terms of pressure acting equally in all directions (13 per cent, 19 per cent and 34 per cent respectively): they were inclined to think of a greater pressure downwards. This study found frequent references to either air or a vacuum 'sucking', in pupils' explanations of the changes they experienced with straws and syringes. Atmospheric pressure pushing was mentioned but few pupils explained changes in terms of balancing pressures.
