Make learning physics fun with this easy balloon car project! With just a few household materials, like a water bottle and bottle caps, you can introduce concepts like kinetic energy and Newton’s laws of motion to your children with this simple science experiment for kids.
Not only that, but your young scientists will get a kick out of racing the cars, learning about how wind energy can move objects, and observing basic principles in physics like momentum, force, friction, and speed and how real rockets and jets work! It’s perfect for a science fair project.
Related: Build a paper roller coaster
How do balloon cars work?
With just a toy car, balloon, and not much more, you and your kids can learn engineering concepts that will stay with them for a long time.
When you blow into the straw, the air fills the balloon and created stretched rubber, which stores potential energy.
Let go of the straw and the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy (energy from motion), propelling your car forward in a straight line!
What is the physics behind a balloon powered car experiment?
Did you know that you can witness Newton’s three laws of energy in motion with this activity?
Newton’s first law states that an object in motion stays in motion until acted upon by an outside force, which is seen when the car keeps going until friction eventually stops it.
The second law tells us that force is determined by an object’s mass and acceleration – you can modify the car’s speed depending on its mass and the thrust the balloon gives it.
Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, as seen when blowing up a balloon and the rubber expands from the increased pressure.
Letting the air out of a balloon is a great way to demonstrate Newton’s Third Law of Motion: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
When the air is released from the balloon, the rubber contracts and a reaction force pushes the balloon forward.
What can I do with the car?
There are a lot of fun things you can do with your car:
Measure how far your balloon travels depending on how much air is inside the balloon.
Add weights like coins to the car and see how it affects how far the car travels.
Try racing two cars made out of different materials and compare the results.
Compare how far a balloon filled with helium and a balloon filled with air go.
Try experimenting with different diameter straws to see if more potential energy is created and more kinetic energy is released.
What can you use to make it?
For our easy balloon-powered car engineering design project, all you need is:
- Uninflated Balloons
- Toy cars
- Tape
- Rubber band
- Straw
- Scissors
Please note that balloons may pose a choking hazard for toddlers so adult supervision is required with all of our activities.
Check out the Water In A Bag Pencil Experiment or DIY Marble Maze Project for Kid for more science fun.
How to build a balloon powered car.
Pick out a toy car that’s wheels move easily.
Attach the balloon to the car by taping the neck of the balloon to the top of the car. Make sure the balloon opening is on the back side of the car. If you want to create a permanent bond of the balloon car then you can use hot glue instead.
Insert a straw into the neck of the balloon and seal the opening with tape. If the straw is too long, use scissors or a hobby knife to shorten it.
Blow into the balloon by blowing through the straw to inflate the balloon.
Put your finger on the end of the straw to keep the balloon inflated or tie a rubber band around the balloon.
Place the car on a flat surface while keeping your finger on the tip of the straw.
Let go of the balloon to watch Newton’s third energy of motion law at work watching your miniature race car rolling! The compressed air and the air pressure inside is released using kinetic energy.
How else can I make a balloon powered car
You can use different objects to make your balloon car or put the car together in a different way. Try some of the following:
Use a piece of cardboard, a juice box, or a paper roll as the body of the car.
Use a water bottle, bamboo skewers, and plastic bottle caps to construct the body, wheels, and axles of your balloon powered car.
Attach a helium balloon to your car instead of a regular party balloon. It holds more air, so does this make the car faster or make it travel a longer distance?
Use old CDs or buttons with holes in the center as the wheels of the balloon car.
How do you make a balloon powered car go faster?
To create the fastest balloon-powered car ever, it’s all about experimenting with size, weight, and motors!
Start with a bigger balloon for more air power.
Once the balloon is attached, attach weights for extra speed.
Get creative and attach a small fan to the back of the car to act as a makeshift engine.
Even better—attach a motor with the right supplies and you’ll be in the race for #1!
With a little trial and error, you’ll have the formula for the fastest balloon-powered car—all crafted by you!
Try making a Rubber Band Car that Works!
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