Air Cannon
Create your own vortex to shoot cotton balls!
What You Need
Materials per student
- Paper cup (with the bottom cut off)
- Piece of paper
- Balloon
- Rubber band
- Cotton balls (3)
- Tape
Guide:
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe virtual delivery to youth.
What To Do
To build their air cannon, each student will:
- Tie a knot at the neck/bottom of the balloon.
- Cut a small piece of the top of the balloon.
- Stretch the top part of the balloon over the bottom of the cup and secure it with tape.
- Cut a hole in the middle of the piece of paper that is around 3-4 cm in diameter.
- Place the paper over the top of the cup and secure it with a rubber band. If your paper isn't staying in place, secure it with tape. The air cannon is now ready!
- Pull down on the know at the neck of the balloon and let it go. They should feel a puff of air coming from the top of the cup.
- On a flat surface, students can put cotton balls in front of the cup and pull down on the neck of the balloon and let go. What happens?
Discovery
When they pull down on the knot of the balloon and let go, air is released. A vortex is created when the air shoots out from the opening of the air canon. A vortex is a spinning flow of gas or liquid - like when water is released down a drain or the air in a tornado! The vortex of air from the air cannon has a big enough force to move the cotton balls.
What's Happening?
When they pull down on the knot of the balloon and let go, air is released. A vortex is created when the air shoots out from the opening of the air canon. A vortex is a spinning flow of gas or liquid - like when water is released down a drain or the air in a tornado! The vortex of air from the air cannon has a big enough force to move the cotton balls.