Discovering Science Through the Use of Balloons
Caution: Do not let your child play with pieces of popped balloons, they can cause choking hazards.
BALLOON BLOW-UP
Here is a simple experiment that will amaze your children. You will need some baking soda, some vinegar, a balloon and a glass soft drink bottle.
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Set out the bottle and pour approximately ¼ cup of vinegar into it. |
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Next take a balloon and dump approximately 1 tsp. baking soda into it. |
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Now carefully, attach the balloon onto the top rim of the bottle. |
Gradually the baking soda will fall into the vinegar, creating a gas, which in turn will inflate the balloon.
CAUTION: Do not let children play with balloons, especially pieces of popped balloons, because they are a choking hazard.
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HANGING BALLOONS
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Take a balloon, blow it up, then tie or knot the end. |
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Give the balloon to your child and have him rub the balloon on his clothes or on his hair. |
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When done, have him place the balloon on the wall. |
The balloon should stick to the wall, because rubbing the balloon on clothing or hair charges them with static electricity.
Extension: Your child should also notice that by rubbing the balloon through his hair, the electricity causes his hair to stick out. |
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INFLATING BALLOON
You will need a glass soft-drink bottle, a balloon, some hot water and a bowl of cold water for this activity.
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Place one inch of hot water in a glass soft-drink bottle. |
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Place a deflated balloon into the lip of the bottle so that it hangs down and attach the balloon lip over the bottle lip to hold it in place. |
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Now let your child place the bottle into a pan of cold water. |
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Your child will be amazed as the balloon inside of the bottle inflates. |
When you first put the hot water into the bottle, it heats the air inside the bottle. Then, when the bottle is put in cold water, the air is cooled. This creates a vacuum. The vacuum causes the balloon to inflate. |
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