The moving Balloon Powered Car has kinetic energy, but even an object that isn't moving has energy. This energy is called potential energy. The potential energy of the car is in the elastic material of the balloon. As the balloon fills with air, it builds more potential energy. As the air flows from the balloon, it changes to kinetic energy. This is the conservation of energy.
Problem:
Using the old mousetrap car base and wheels, we will investigate how the diameter of the balloon correlates to the distance the car goes.
Hypothesis: If we increase the diameter of the balloon, then we will expect a greater distance.
Independent variable: The different diameters of the balloon measured in centimeters.
Dependent variable: The distance the balloon-powered car will go in centimeters.
Controls: Surface (smooth tile), Temperature (to keep constant kinetic energy inside the balloon), Unit of measurement (centimeters), Wheels (rubber), Position (facing forward)
Unit of Measurement: Centimeters
Procedure:
1) Take out the mousetrap in the old mousetrap car and keep the base and wheels. Those will be used as the base and wheels of your balloon-powered care.
2) Cut the mouth ring (the lip that you blow into) off of the balloon. This will allow for a better seal between the balloon and the straw.
3) Insert a straw approximately 1" into the balloon. Use tape to securely fasten the straw inside the balloon. The tighter the seal, the better your straw is going to work, so make sure as little air as possible can escape.
4) Mount the straw so that the point where the straw and balloon connect is about 1" from the end of your chassis. Taping it at this point is your best bet. Secure the straw so that it points straight out from the chassis.
5) Inflate the balloon and pinch the straw to keep air inside the balloon. Place the racer on the ground and let it go!
Trials Diameter: 15 cm Diameter: 20 cm Diameter: 25 cm
1 130.4 cm 210.2 cm 265.7 cm
2 120.5 cm 165.1 cm 210.9 cm
3 135.1 cm 195.0 cm 235.4 cm
Diameter: 15 cm Diameter: 20 cm Diameter: 25 cm
Average distance: 128.7 cm 190.1 cm 237.3 cm
Uncertainties
Exact measurement of balloon with ruler
Precise alignment with the tiles
Exact measurement of distance with ruler
Resuming trials the next day
Conclusion:
Through our data that we recorded, we have concluded that there is a direct proportion between the diameter of the balloon and the distance of the car. Our hypothesis was correct; if you increase the diameter of the balloon then the distance of the car will increase. This is because the more air inside the balloon will result in more air being released resulting in a greater force pushing the balloon forward. There were systematic errors in our trials with the measurements of the balloon diameter and the distance. Also, the resuming of the trials the next day may have caused a slight temperature change causing the volume of the balloon to differ from the day before. Also, there were random errors with our placement of the car along the tiles, and the ability of the wheels to spin as they should. Another slight error might be the weariness of the balloon over time and how quickly the balloon would be able to spit out air out of the balloon after each trial. Also, after measuring, as we pinched the straw to hold the air inside the balloon some air may have left the straw causing the balloon to decrease it’s diameter.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
Explain how Newton’s first, second and third laws apply to the performance of your The second law applies to the mousetrap car because of the mass, and acceleration affect the force and how fast the mousetrap car goes. The third law applies because the lever (or the mousetrap car) is pulling the wheels forward, calling them to move and the force moves forward. Pushing the ground behind the car.…
- 715 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
If it moves along a string it focuses the power from the balloon's air in a single direction, generating more concentrated thrust and helping it travel as far as possible in one direction. For the balloon's velocity, if the balloon is moving rightwards, then the velocity is moving rightwards also. The amount of speed is the rate at which an object covers distance. A fast-moving object has a high speed and covers a large distance in a short amount of time. A slow-moving object that has a low speed will cover a small amount of distance in the same amount of time. The force that moves the balloon to create velocity is the thrust when you let go of the balloon's mouth piece. Thrust can be created from your hand or controller. The movement that pushes the balloon forward will make it go farther.The air that shoots out from the balloon's mouth also pushes the balloon forward and creates some velocity.The change in velocity depends on the mass of the object. A force will cause a change in velocity and a change in velocity will generate a force. If there is no force acting on an object then the object will maintain a constant velocity. When velocity is zero the object remains at…
- 536 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Part 3: 1. Cut the neck off the balloon. Replace the wax paper on the longer kazoo with the cut balloon, wrapping the rubber band around the end of the cardboard tube. The rubber band should hold the tightly stretched balloon over the end of the tube. Use tape to attach the small mirror to the balloon at the end of the tube.…
- 1296 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
Newton's first law is the first law that relates to my project, and the first law states that if an object is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line, it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at a constant speed unless a force is acted upon it.(Newton's laws of motion) For example, if there was a car going at 5 miles per hour in a straight line the car will remain going 5 miles per hour unless a force is acted upon it like if another car crashed into the car. Newton's third law is the other law that has anything to do with my project, and the third law states that when two objects interact, they apply equal forces to one another in magnitude and opposite in direction.(Newton’s laws of motion) For example when someone is pedaling on a bike the pedals and chain interact, applying an equal force to one another. That's why when you pedal faster you go faster. Overall, all the information suggests that my cars seem to have a better chance at going…
- 782 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Rubber Band Powered Vehicle Part A: Introduction a. Theoretical Background The rubber band car is a car powered by a single rubber band. Energy efficiency is the amount of energy that is first stored in an object. The physic's definition of energy efficiency is very similar. Their term is the linear distance traveled using the energy stored in one rubber band. Energy efficiency is usually found when an object's energy transfers into a different type of energy. For us to find this, we have to attach a rubber band onto the car and release the rubber band to make the car move forward. The physic's definition is very reasonable because the rubber is the main and only source of energy that is applied to the car.…
- 1144 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
* Using a small bubble wand start by blowing a bubble. If you are using the pipette instead of the bubble wand, cut the bulb off the top of the pipette, dip it into the bubble solution, and blow into the other end of the pipette. If using a straw just dip and blow out the other end.…
- 339 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Self – Inflating Balloons Table of Contents 1. Purpose …………………………………… pg. 3 2. Background Information ………… pg. 4…
- 528 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
* Corn Syrup * Permanent Marker * Stopwatch * Bubble Blowing Toy Procedure: 1. First, make your bubble solutions, and store them in clearly labeled glass mason jars. Use one jar for each different solution and label with the formula using a permanent marker. Here are three basic solutions to try, but notice that the total volume of the…
- 697 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The results of the experiment where consistent with expectations. The length of both the meter stick and the kazoo affected pitch the same way, the longer yard stick produced a lower pitch as did the longer kazoo. The higher pitch created a faster frequency of vibrations in the balloon and the louder sound caused the balloon to vibrate at higher amplitude.…
- 771 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
III. Procedure A. Inflate your balloon. This step is to form the body of the piñata so inflate it to the size you want the piñata to be.…
- 1117 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
Molecular Geometry A. Natural Orientation of Volumes about a Central Point. You will need 20 round balloons for this experiment. Join them together as indicated in the Balloon Arrangement column and then describe the shape in the space provided.…
- 271 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
AP Physics Lab 2 – Graphing Round Objects Objective: Our objective for this lab is to discover what the relationship is between the diameter and the circumference of a round object.…
- 354 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
When the air is heated in the balloon, it causes the balloon to rise. This is because hot air is less dense than warm. Over time, if no more hot air is pumped into the balloon, the air cools and so the balloon falls.…
- 573 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Charles’ Law Lab Introduction: The purpose of this investigation is to demonstrate how water temperature affects the volume of a balloon.…
- 301 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Balloon powered car racer is driven by air coming from a deflating balloon. As an alternative of using electricity, these cars make use of the Law of Action and Reaction (Newton’s Third Law of Motion). The car is propelled forward, as a result of the air coming from an inflated balloon.…
- 468 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays