demonstrations:dry_ice_balloon
Dry Ice Balloon
Materials: ★★★ Requires materials not commonly found in school laboratories
Difficulty: ★★☆ Can be done by science teachers
Safety: ★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely
Categories: Dry Ice
Alternative titles: Inflate a Balloon with Dry Ice, Inflate a Glove with Dry Ice.
Summary
Pieces of dry ice are put inside a balloon causing it to inflate.
Procedure
- Put on gloves to handle dry ice safely.
- Hold open the neck of a balloon with your fingers or use a funnel.
- Place a few pellets or small pieces of dry ice into the balloon.
- Tie the balloon tightly to trap the dry ice inside.
- Set the balloon on a surface and watch as it inflates from the sublimating dry ice.
Links
Dry Ice Balloon - Sick Science!:
📄🎞️ Dry Ice Balloon - Steve Spangler: https://stevespangler.com/experiments/dry-ice-balloon/
Variations
- Experiment with crushing dry ice into smaller pieces to see if inflation is faster.
- Use a latex glove instead of a balloon.
- Use a sandwich bag with a small amount of water and dry ice, then seal it and watch it pop.
Safety Precautions
- Always wear gloves when handling dry ice to prevent frostbite.
- Do not hold the balloon in your hand while it inflates - set it on a surface.
- Never put dry ice in your mouth.
- Keep dry ice out of reach of children and pets.
- Do not enclose dry ice in rigid airtight containers, as pressure buildup can cause explosions.
Questions to Consider
- Why does dry ice turn directly from a solid into a gas instead of melting into liquid?
- Why does frost form on the outside of the balloon?
- Why does a dry ice balloon sink instead of floating like a helium balloon?