Balloon Powered Car
CAN YOU MAKE YOUR VERY OWN BALLOON POWERED CAR. USE THIS HANDY GUIDE TO HELP YOU PROPEL YOUR HAND MADE VEHICLE.
EQUIPMENT
- 1 piece of rectangular card
- 4 milk carton tops (or circles of card)
- 2 Kebab sticks
- 3 straws (kebab sticks must fit through the middle of them) ideally 2 straight and 1 bendy
- 1 Balloon
- Sticky tape
- Blu-tack
METHOD
- Stick 2 straight straws onto one side of the card to act as the axles of the car
- Put a kebab stick through the centre of both straw axles
- Make a small hole in the centre of the milk carton lids
- Attach a milk carton lid to either end of the kebab sticks and secure with a piece of Blu-tack
- Turn the car over and attach the bendy straw so that it runs front to back with approx 1/4 hanging out over the end
- Blow up the balloon and release the air several times to make it easier to blow up once it’s on the car.
- Stick the ends of the balloon over the short bendy end of the straw
- Blow into the other end of the straw to blow the balloon up – Pinch the end of it
- When you’re ready, release the balloon and watch the car go
THE SCIENCE
The car only moves once you let go of the balloon and the air can escape. The air is pushed out of the straw and this gives an equal and opposite push to the car. The air comes out of the back of the car, so the car moves forwards.