Hot Air Balloon Science Fair Project
Science fair projects should teach scientific principles, while simultaneously being interesting to observe and a creative and pleasant activity for the student. Hot air is less dense than cold air. The difference between the warm air inside the balloon and the colder air outside makes it rise. The principles can be described on poster board, with photos or diagrams of hot air balloons to make the project more visually appealing. Also, colorful tissue paper should be used to make the balloon eye-catching.
Things You'll Need
- 16 sheets of 75-by-50 cm colored tissue paper
- Small bottle of wood glue
- Pipe cleaner or wire
- Strong thread
- Scissors
- Hair dryer
- Poster board
Instructions
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1
Dilute a small amount of glue with water, 1:1.
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2
Plan the colors you'd like your balloon to be. Glue two sheets of tissue paper end-to-end, vertically, to create one long sheet of paper. Do this eight times in total.
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3
Make a stack of the eight long sheets, one on top of the other, and smooth them out. Be careful not to tear the paper.
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4
Sunflower petals Make a template, 150 cm long and 50 cm wide, out of poster board. Trim the edges at the top and bottom, so the shape resembles a large sunflower petal. Place it on top of the stack of tissue paper.
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5
Cut the sheets with scissors, along the edge of the pattern, to create eight identical segments.
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Glue the eight segments side by side.
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Assembled balloon segments Glue the first and last segment to each other to create the balloon.
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8
Cut out a circle from the remaining sheet of tissue paper, a little bit larger than the opening at the top of the balloon.
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9
Glue the circle of paper to the top of the balloon so it closes the hole.
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10
Gently open the balloon, being careful not to tear the paper.
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11
Form a circle, the same size as the bottom hole of the balloon, out of pipe cleaners or thin wire. Place it inside the balloon, one inch from the bottom. Fold the bottom edge of the tissue paper over the pipe cleaner circle. Glue it in place.
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12
Glue a piece of strong thread to the top of the balloon, long enough to reach from the top of the balloon to the ceiling. It needs to be able to carry the whole weight of the balloon. Attach the other end of the thread to the ceiling above where the balloon will be displayed.
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13
Turn the hair dryer to a high, hot setting, and place it near the opening of the balloon. Turn it on. Wait until the balloon lifts up before turning it off. The balloon should float to the ceiling and then back down again as the air inside cools. Repeat as many times as you wish when you present the project.
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Tips & Warnings
If you accidentally tear the paper, just patch it with additional tissue paper and glue.
If you're having difficulty keeping the pattern in place, you can use regular straight pins to hold it down.
A small, basket can be made from aluminum foil and hung from the bottom of the balloon with string held in place with tape, if desired for visual effect. However, keep in mind that any added weight may affect the balloon's efficiency.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hot Air Ballon image by Allan Potts from Fotolia.com Sunflower against blue bright sky with clouds image by rgbspace from Fotolia.com hot air balloon striped image by Danuta Kania from Fotolia.com
