Balloon tumbler
Experience the fun with the Balloon Tumbler experiment. Learn about the principles of air pressure and center of mass in a simple yet engaging activity. Dive into the world of physics as we explore how the center of mass affects our balloon. Join me in discovering the fascinating science behind this entertaining experiment.
:What you need
- A balloon
- A rubber band.
- One marble
- A permanent marker
What to do?
· Push a marble in the balloon.
· Catch the marble at the bottom of the balloon with a rubber band.
· Turn the balloon inside out again.
· Blow up the balloon and decorate it.
· Place the balloon on the table. it will always stand up straight! Even if you try to knock it down.
What is happening?
The tumbler toy always has a high-weight material such as sand concentrated at the bottom and the rest of the toy is made of a low-weight material such as a sponge.
This creates a situation where the center of gravity of the toy is not in the center but lower, close to the bottom. When we tip the tumbler on its side, because of the low center of gravity, the toy will always return to an upright position.
In our case the marble is heavy relative to the balloon and the air in it which tilts the balloon’s center of gravity downwards.
What does equilibrium mean?
Equilibrium is a physical state in which all the forces acting on a certain object are balanced by opposing forces and therefore, the object will remain in place.
The center of gravity of an object in a simple geometric shape (circle, square, triangle…) is usually in its center. Try balancing a popsicle stick on your finger. mark with a marker the point where the stick was balanced, this is the center of gravity. Add a little play doe to one of the sides (just a little). Now, try to balance the stick on your finger. The balance point or in other words the center of gravity moves.
By adding the marble, we changed the center of gravity of the balloon.
