Praxis: Balloon hovercrafts

By Medicine Hat News on June 16, 2018.

I am still working on some finishing touches for our amazing new summer camps at Medicine Hat College. Things are looking like the camps this year are going to be BIGGER and BETTER than ever for all of those young scientists out there! Don’t forget to sign up as spots are filling up fast. Here is another sneak peek at what you may do at one of the science camps. Shhhh, do not tell anyone. Let’s get started!

*Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

– CD

– top off of a liquid dishwashing soap container or sports drink bottle top

– balloon

– glue gun

– glue sticks

– tape

– push pin/tack

– science helper

– flat smooth surface (such as a counter)

Procedure

1. Take a small piece of tape and put it over the hole of the CD.

2. Using the push pin, carefully poke about four holes throughout the tape.

3. Have an adult help you plug in the glue gun and heat it up.

4. Carefully glue the dish soap top to the centre of the CD.

5. Run a thin bead of glue around the outside edge between the CD and the dish soap cap so you create a really good seal.

6. Make sure the pop top on the dish soap cap is closed.

7. Blow the balloon up and twist it so no air escapes.

8. Have your science helper assist now. Carefully try to place the balloon on the dish soap cap.

9. Place your hovercraft on a flat smooth surface and pull the dish soap cap open.

10. Observe what happens.

What is going on?

When you pulled open the lid top, the air slowly flowed out of the balloon through the pop top; slowed down by the piece of tape then out and under the CD. This layer of air between the flat surface and the CD allowed for there to be minimal friction between the two surfaces further allowing the CD to glide almost effortlessly over the counter.

What you created is similar to real life hovercraft. A hovercraft is also known as an air cushion vehicle (ACV) and is capable of travelling over land, water, mud, ice and many other surfaces. They are very useful for the military when they need to transport people or items into areas that are not accessible by other means of transportation.

Patty Rooks is senior scientific consultant at PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community.” Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, http://www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook.

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