======Two Balloons Experiment======


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**Alternative titles:** Balloon Air Pressure Demonstration
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====Summary====                   
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====Procedure====  
  - Inflate two balloons to different sizes.  
  - Tie each balloon securely onto the ends of a piece of plastic tubing.  
  - If using a valve, close it before attaching the balloons.  
  - Allow air to pass between the balloons.  
  - Observe which way the air flows and how the sizes of the balloons change.



====Links==== 
Predict what will happen when these two balloons are connected - Steve Mould: 
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📄 Two-balloon experiment - Wikipedia: [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-balloon_experiment]]\\


====Variations====
  * Inflate both balloons to the same size and see if there is any movement of air.  
  * Try balloons made from different materials or thicknesses.  
  * Attach more than two balloons with connectors to create a chain and test how air moves.



====Safety Precautions====
  * Do not overinflate balloons, as they may burst.  
  * Keep balloons away from small children who may choke on broken pieces.  
  * Use eye protection if inflating balloons to large sizes.




====Questions to Consider====
  * Why does the smaller balloon often deflate into the larger one instead of the other way around? (Because the pressure inside a smaller balloon is actually greater due to the elasticity of the rubber, so air flows into the larger balloon where pressure is lower.)  
  * How does this demonstrate that pressure depends on both volume and material stretch? (The stretched rubber wall contributes to internal pressure, not just the amount of air.)  
  * What does this experiment suggest about stability in physical systems? (Systems often move toward lower energy states—in this case, air redistributes until the forces balance.)