demonstrations:ping_pong_funnel_blow

Ping Pong Funnel Blow

Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required

Categories: Pressure and Fluids

Alternative titles: The Bernoulli Challenge

Summary

When a ping pong ball is placed inside a funnel and air is blown through it, the ball remains held in the funnel rather than being blown away. This demonstrates how differences in air pressure can keep the ball in place even when the funnel is inverted.

Procedure

  1. Place a ping pong ball into the wide end of a funnel.
  2. Hold the funnel so the ball sits inside the bowl of the funnel.
  3. Blow firmly through the narrow end of the funnel while tilting it so the ball faces upward.
  4. Observe that the ball stays held inside the funnel rather than falling out.
  5. Test further by trying to lift the ball from a table using only the funnel and blowing air through it.

Bernoulli's Principle: Ping-pong Ball and Funnel - Daryl Jay Galabay:


PING PONG BALL PHYSICS TRICK Experiment - Kids Fun Science:


📄 The Bernoulli Challenge - Science World: https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/have-you-got-enough-puff/

Variations

  • Try using funnels of different sizes to see how the effect changes.
  • Replace the ping pong ball with lightweight balls of different materials.
  • Test how gently or forcefully you can blow while still keeping the ball in place.
  • Use a vacuum cleaner on “blow” mode instead of breath for a steady airflow.

Safety Precautions

  • Do not inhale sharply while the funnel is near your mouth to avoid drawing dust or debris.
  • Ensure the funnel and ball are clean before use.
  • Avoid blowing too hard for extended periods to prevent dizziness.

Questions to Consider

  • Why does the ball not get blown out of the funnel? (Air moving quickly around the ball lowers the pressure near it, so surrounding higher-pressure air pushes it back into the funnel.)
  • How is this demonstration related to Bernoulli’s principle? (Bernoulli’s principle explains that faster-moving air has lower pressure, which is why the ball is held inside the funnel.)
  • What would happen if the funnel opening were much larger than the ball? (The effect would weaken because the airflow would not create the same pressure difference around the ball.)