The balloon car project is one of my favorite physics projects. It is always a winner in both my STEM and science classes. Students learn so much throughout the hands-on activity and are eager to compete with each other once their balloon car is complete.
A balloon car is a small vehicle powered by a balloon’s force. You will need a few basic materials such as cardboard, scissors, glue, and a balloon. You can find step-by-step instructions and examples online or in books about science and engineering projects for kids.
Experiment with different car designs and balloon sizes to see how they affect the speed and distance of the car. Try adding weights to the car or changing the surface it is running on to see how these factors affect its movement. Building and racing balloon-powered cars can be a fun and educational way to learn about physics and engineering concepts.
Balloon Car Basics
As far as physics projects go, this one aligns with a number of concepts. Aside from the basics of forces and motion, the most obvious relation to physical science and physics is a balloon car’s relation to Newton’s Laws of Motion.
Balloon-powered cars use the principles of these laws to move. A balloon is filled with air and then released, causing the air to rush out of the balloon and push against the car, causing it to move. The force of the air rushing out of the balloon is the action, and the motion of the car is the reaction. The balloon-powered car will continue to move until all the air has escaped from the balloon or until it is slowed down by friction or other external forces.
This physics project also taps into engineering and STEM design. My students always seemed to struggle with the axles. Many students would make a solid unit of immobile wheels and axles taped to the bottom of their vehicle. Others would throw on wobbly bottle caps and cross their fingers. One thing was consistent: wheels were a struggle.
In response to this, I created a bonus comic about building wheels and axles. Students are able to reference this comic for tips as they build and design their balloon car.
How to Make Balloon Powered Cars
Balloon-powered cars are a popular STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activity for children and adults alike. Building and racing these cars can be a fun and educational way to learn about physics, engineering, and problem-solving.
All it takes is a few basic materials such as cardboard, scissors, glue, and a balloon. Find step-by-step instructions and examples online or in books about science and engineering projects for kids.
Here are the basic steps for building a balloon-powered car:
- Cut out a car body shape from cardboard and glue it together.
- Cut out four wheels from cardboard or use bottle caps or other small circular objects.
- Attach the wheels to the car body using glue or brads (small nails or staples).
- Cut a small hole in the car body near the back, and attach the balloon to the hole using tape or glue.
- Inflate the balloon and then quickly close the hole to trap the air inside the balloon.
- Place the car on a flat surface and release the balloon by opening the hole. The force of the air rushing out of the balloon will push the car forward.
You can experiment with different car designs and balloon sizes to see how they affect the speed and distance of the car. Try adding weights to the car or changing the surface it is running on to see how these factors affect its movement. Building and racing balloon-powered cars can be a fun and educational way to learn about physics and engineering concepts.
You can download the Balloon Powered Car comic HERE
Are you looking for a complete physics lesson plan? Check out the Newton’s Laws Bundle
