Bill Nye: Hole-y Water

Everything around us is made of atoms and molecules. Surprisingly, atoms and molecules are made up mostly of empty space.

Here’s a simple experiment to prove that a glass of water molecules contains a whole lot of nothing. Well, a lot of space.

What You Need:

1. powdered sugar

2. a cup of hot water

3. a teaspoon

What You Do:

1. Fill the cup to the brim with hot tap water. Get the surface to bulge above the rim.

2. Without dipping the teaspoon in the water, CAREFULLY add a teaspoon of sugar to the water.
3. Repeat several times.

What’s Happening?

The sugar molecules dissolve and fit into the empty spaces between the water molecules. That’s why the water in the cup doesn’t spill out. Matter is overflowing with empty space.