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Newton’s Laws of Motion Activity for Kids
Balloon Rocket DIY
- Duration: 20-30 min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: $0 to $5
Learn how to make your own balloon rocket!
Material List
- 1Roll of Clear Tape
- 1Balloon
- 1Straw
- 1Pair of Scissors
- 1Fishing Line
Instructions
- 1Find an anchor point for your fishing line and tie it on. Then measure it out to another point in the room.
- 2Once you have the length you want, cut the line from the spool with your scissors.
- 3To prepare your balloon rocket, cut the straw in half, and thread one of the halves onto your fishing line.
- 4Blow up the balloon (holding the opening closed, but don't tie it), and tape it at the center onto the straw on the fishing line.
- 5Grab the other end of the fishing line, then walk back to straighten it out.
- 6Finally, hold the fishing line tight with one hand and let go of the balloon with the other hand to launch it.
How It Works
The force of the air leaving the balloon provides an equal and opposite force that makes the balloon move in the opposite direction. This is Newton’s third law of motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Try blowing up the balloon bigger or smaller, or making it heavier to see what happens.
Check out the Full Lesson on Newton’s Laws of Motion
In this lesson, we learn that:
- Newton's 1st law tells us that an object won't change its motion unless acted upon by a force.
- Newton's 2nd law tells us that heavier objects need a larger force to move them.
- Newton's 3rd law tells us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
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