======Balloon Hovercraft======


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**Materials: **{{$demo.materials_description}}\\
**Difficulty: **{{$demo.difficulty_description}}\\
**Safety: **{{$demo.safety_description}}\\
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**Categories:** {{$demo.categories}}
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**Alternative titles:** CD Hovercraft
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====Summary====                   
{{$demo.summary}}



====Procedure====  
  - Provide each student with a CD, a balloon, and a sport drink cap with a pop-out nozzle.  
  - Attach the cap to the shiny side of the CD, ensuring the holes align, using hot glue or duct tape.  
  - Stretch the balloon over the nozzle of the cap.  
  - Inflate the balloon through the cap and pinch its neck to hold the air.  
  - Place the hovercraft on a smooth surface.  
  - Release the balloon and observe the hovercraft glide.



====Links==== 
Emily's Science Lab - Create Your Own Hovercraft - UFO Science Experiment - Emily Calandrelli: 
{{youtube>QbtLIz6G4Ik?}}\\

Science experiment: How to make a CD balloon hovercraft - Kidspot: 
{{youtube>dy-61HV2FRw?}}\\

📄 Balloon Hovercraft - Science World: [[https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/balloon-hovercraft/]]\\

📄 Make a balloon hovercraft - Fizzics Education: [[https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/150-science-experiments/force-movement-experiments/make-a-balloon-hovercraft/?srsltid=AfmBOooQV8Tx2Uq3YWhZ42xBnVhjL0dyCF3DAd1bsCsTE2WQAYm8tdSd]]\\

====Variations====
  * Use balloons of different sizes to compare speed and duration of motion.  
  * Test hovercrafts on different surfaces to compare friction effects.  
  * Add small weights to explore how load impacts motion.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Use caution when handling hot glue guns, adult supervision recommended.  
  * Ensure balloons are not overinflated to avoid bursting.  
  * Check that CD edges are smooth to prevent scratches.




====Questions to Consider====
  * When the balloon is released, where does the air go? (It escapes downward through the CD hole.)  
  * What is the equal and opposite reaction according to Newton’s Third Law? (The downward push of air creates an upward lift on the hovercraft.)  
  * Why does the hovercraft move more easily when the balloon is inflated? (The air reduces friction by creating a thin cushion between the CD and the surface.)  
  * How could you design an experiment to test how balloon size affects speed? (Inflate different balloon sizes, measure hovercraft travel distance/time, and compare results.)