Balloon Science!

In November I taught Balloon Science for Discovery and we had a popping good time!  We started out by just trying to blow up the balloons to see how much energy we have to use just to fill them with air.

Then we tried filling them with Coca-Cola and Mentos and shaking them up to see if we could blow them up that way.  The kids were really surprised when the balloons started getting bigger.

After that, we tried sticking a skewer in the side of a balloon...and it popped.  Then we put a skewer through the top of the balloon and......it didn't pop!  We learned the top doesn't pop because it is not stretched out.

For the next experiment, we taped a balloon to a stick, and held the balloon over a candle and...it popped.  But when we put just a little water into the next balloon, it didn't pop over the candle!  Even after 30 seconds (we counted)!

Next, we experimented with static electricity.  We rubbed the balloons on our heads and built up a static charge.  Everyone's hair was sticking to the balloons, and we had fun trying to stick the balloons onto other things.  We even saw how a static charge can attract a stream of water in the sink.  We moved the running water without touching it!!!

Finally, we saw what happens when you put a coin into a balloon, blow it up, then shake it.  The coin rolls around and around inside the balloon for a really long time!  This was a super fun Discovery!  Thanks for coming!