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Coin in the balloon of death activity | Fizzics Education

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Balloon of death!

Balloon of death!

Follow FizzicsEd 150 Science Experiments:

You will need:

  • One strong balloon.
  • Round coins, Try several coins
  • A metal nut.

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Balloon and nut science experiment - materials needed
1 Balloon and nut science experiment - adding a metal nut to a balloon

Squeeze a coin or nut through the opening of the balloon, make sure that the coin or nut goes all the way in.

2 Balloon and nut science experiment - spinning the metal nut inside the balloon

Blow up the balloon and tie its end.

  1. Hold the balloon in one hand.
  2. Swirl the balloon whilst keeping it in your hand. The coin may bounce at first, but you should find that it will start to roll around inside the balloon.
  3. Stop swirling the balloon. You should see that the coin continues to roll, inside the balloon, for several seconds. Why?
3 Balloon and nut science experiment - coins on a table

Does the size of the coin matter? Repeat the experiment with different sized coins.

4 A Fizzics presenter holding a yellow balloon ad swirling it

Repeat the experiment again with the metal nut. As the edges of the nut strikes the inside of the balloon the rubber will vibrate, creating a whirring sound.

Try spinning the balloon at different speeds, what happens?

5 A man pointing at a bicycle wheel spinning horizontally on a desk (balancing by itself)

Get the Unit of Work on Forces here!

  • Push, pull
  • Friction & spin!

From inertia to centripetal force, this unit covers many concepts about Newton’s Laws!

Includes cross-curricular teaching ideas, student quizzes, a sample marking rubric, scope & sequences & more

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6 hand with flame around it without injury
7 Teacher showing how to do an experiment outside to a group of kids.

Online courses for teachers & parents

– Help students learn how science really works

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Why Does This Happen?

Isaac Newton’s first law of motion said that anything that is moving will want to keep moving in a straight line unless another force acts against it. This is called inertia.

The coin travels around the outside of the balloon because of inertia, i.e. it’s trying to travel in a straight line but the curved surface of the balloon swings it around the corner. The coin continues to travel around the balloon until gravity and friction slows it down.

The same principle applies to motorbike stunts in circular cages and rollercoasters!

Variables to test

  • Try different speeds of rotation
  • Does it matter as to the size of the balloon?

A man with a glove above a liquid nitrogen vapour cloud

Learn more!

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