Table of Contents
What is a balloon powered vehicle and how does it work?
In the case of the balloon car, the action is the air rushing out of the balloon, pushing against the air behind the car. The opposite or equal reaction is that the air behind the car pushing against the car with the same force, causing the car to propel forwards.
How does a balloon powered car demonstrate Newton’s laws?
Balloon cars rely on Newton’s Third Law of Motion . As the air rushes backward out of the balloon it pushes the car forward in the opposite direction with an equal force.
What happens if you inflate the balloon more?
As you add more gas, the pressure inside the balloon increases, and in response, the balloon expands… If you put in too much helium, and the pressure inside the balloon exceeds the atmospheric pressure on the outside of the balloon, the balloon will burst.
What forces does a balloon car have?
What forces are acting on the balloon rocket car? There are two main forces acting on the balloon rocket car: Friction and Air resistance. The friction force is the resistance between two objects sliding against each other.
How do rocket cars work?
In this activity, the rocket car is propelled by air escaping from a balloon through a plastic straw. The escaping air acts as the action force, causing the car to roll forward, as the reaction force “pushes” back..
What makes the fully blown balloon heavy?
Full or empty, the balloon will weight the same. However, if the air is under pressure, as in a latex balloon or a rigid, fully-inflated mylar balloon, then the air under pressure in the balloon will be denser, and therefore heavier than an equivalent volume of free air.
Why is a balloon inflated?
Warm air is less dense than cold. Since warm air takes up more space than the same amount of cold air it makes the balloon inflate.
What makes a good balloon car?
Some of the things that slow balloon cars down, that you have to overcome, are their own weight, air resistance, friction, and inefficient use of the air escaping the balloon. Reducing weight, minimizing drag, cutting friction and improving nozzle air flow will all help make your balloon car go faster.