Balloon Volume and Temperature

This experiment demonstrates how temperature affects the volume of gas inside a balloon. By placing balloons over bottles in hot water, a refrigerator, and a freezer, students observe how gases expand when heated and contract when cooled, illustrating Charles’s Law.

1. Stretch a balloon over the mouth of an empty 2-liter bottle.
2. Place one bottle in the refrigerator and predict what will happen to the balloon.
3. Place the second bottle in a pan of hot water and record how the balloon changes.
4. After observing both, move both bottles to the freezer for several minutes.
5. Record observations about how the extreme cold affects the balloons.
6. Sketch the balloons in each condition on poster board to illustrate results.

Science at Home - SE2 - EP10: Charles's Law of Ideal Gases - The Sci Guys:

Balloon at Room Temperature Verse Freezing Find Volume (Ideal Gas Law Physics Problem) - VAM! Physics & Engineering:

📄 The Effects of Temperature on Balloons - Education.com: https://www.education.com/activity/article/effects-temperature-balloons/

• Try different temperatures (room temperature, warm water, ice water) to compare results.
• Test different sized balloons to see if volume changes are more dramatic.
• Measure balloon circumference with a string or tape measure for more quantitative data.

• Handle hot water carefully to avoid burns.
• Place bottles in the refrigerator/freezer gently to avoid breakage.
• Ensure proper supervision when children use hot water.

• What happened to the balloon in hot water? Why?
• What happened to the balloon in the refrigerator and freezer?
• How does this experiment demonstrate Charles’s Law (volume ∝ temperature at constant pressure)?
• What real-world examples show this principle (e.g., hot air balloons, weather balloons, car tire pressure in different temperatures)?
• Why is it important to fill balloons or tires with room-temperature air rather than very hot or very cold air?