Speaker
Description
I will demonstrate a Buoyant Force Lab:
1) Students are given: a Helium balloon on a light string attached to a 50g mass, an empty balloon, a balance, paper clips, and paper.
2) When the "pits" are opened the students have 15min to modify their balloon with paper and paper clips so that when released from the floor the balloon is the LAST balloon to hit the ceiling. This is a slow race.
3) Test flights are NOT allowed. Until the pilots show up at the start line full tension must be maintained in the string! Any violations lead to disqualification.
4) A the start line all balloon teams are lined up on the floor and the balloons are released.
The monkey wrench in the works is that the density of the air in the classroom is usually significantly lower at the ceiling.
After the first "heat" students are allowed to return to the pits for further modification (or not) of their balloon and then we conduct 2nd, 3rd, and 4th heats.
There are opportunities for extensions to this "lab":
1) Conduct it in the auditorium or gym with the addendum that the light string must be attached at all times
2) Make an estimation of the density/temp of the air in the room
3) Give a lesson on the danger of inhaling Helium to be cute
