shoebox science experiments

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How to make a habitat diorama using a shoe-box and an imagination

June 07, 2016 2 min read sassafras science science model step by step science summer science Uncle Cecil zoology

Howdy Sassy-Sci peeps! Today, the Prez and I are inviting you all into our lab to explore how to make a habitat diorama with a shoe-box and an imagination, plus a few more materials you have lying around the house.

This summer my niece and nephew, Train and Blaisey, have asked me to share a series - The Summer of Super Science Fun! Last year, the fabulous Summer Beach got the privilege of sharing with you all. It was supertastic! But I promise that Linc Dog and I won't disappoint!

We'll be making indoor fireworks, doing a few scientific magic tricks, and so much more! But today, we are going to do something that is part science, part art - some peeps like to call this a STEAM activity, but the Prez and I just call it super fun!

Let's chat about how to make a habitat diorama...

How to Make a Habitat Diorama

What you need:

• Construction paper
• Air-dry clay

What to do:

• First things first! You need to choose what habitat you would like to create. You can make your diorama about grasslands, the desert, the forest, the Arctic, or the ocean.
• OK, the next step is to gather pictures of the habitat and the animals in it. These will serve as your inspiration as you move forward.
• Then, it is time to get to work! Start making the plants and animals that you would like to showcase in the habitat. You can make these out of clay or you can draw them on paper and color them in.
• Now, you'll create the background for your habitat diorama. And you know that we love to help Y'all out, so download a few background pictures for free right here: habitat posters !
• And finally, you will pull it all together in your shoe-box. Put the background in the back and place the animals and plants you created towards the front.

Wrapping it up

Woohoo! We'd love to see the habitats you create - post a pic on Instagram and tag it with #SassySci (or @sassafrassci habitat project) and the Prez and I will check it out!

We'll be back in two weeks with another super fun activity just in time for the 4th of July!

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The Summer of Science continues with a fantastic zoology science project - how to grow a butterfly!

Science Fun

Solar Eclipse Kit

• yellow tissue paper

Instructions

• Cut a window at each end of your shoebox and then cut a slit across the width (or top) of the box lid.
• Cut out a square of black card small enough to slide into the slit in the box.
• Cut out a circle from the middle of the card and stick yellow tissue paper over the hole.
• Stick the toothpick to the black card circle (you will use this as your Moon).
• Slide the square of black card into the slot on the box and hold the box up to the light. Look through it to see your Sun.

VIDEO COMING SOON BUT YOU CAN STILL ENJOY THESE AWESOME EXPERIMENTS!

How does it work?

When you look through the box’s window you will see the example of our sun shining brightly. However, when you start to slowly lower the blank card circle or moon into the silt of the box, you will slowly see our sun disappear and create an eclipse. *Note: This experiment is not to be used to look at the actual sun. Looking directly at the sun can be harmful.

Further Experiments

• Use different types of light, a flashlight, daylight, tv light. How does different types of light affect the experiment?
• What if our sun was a blue star or a red star or even a a purple star? Use different colored tissue paper to see how that would change the way we see an eclipse.

EXPLORE TONS OF FUN AND EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!

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Make a Solar Eclipse Viewer... From a Shoebox!

This easy-to-make pinpoint solar viewer will allow your children to safely observe the next eclipse..

On April 8, 2024, the moon will pass directly between the Earth and the sun over our heads, creating a total solar eclipse across a swath of North America. The entire contiguous United States will be able to observe a partial eclipse, but those lucky enough to live in (or travel into) the direct path of the lunar shadow will have a rare opportunity to watch the moon completely cover the sun and block out its light.

Even if you’re not in the path of the total eclipse, you and your family will be able to see the moon covering some of sun, and it will look like someone’s taken a bite out of it. Click on  NASA’s map of the eclipse to see what time the moon’s shadow will be passing over your neck of the woods.

Since looking directly at the sun is extremely dangerous, you’ll need NASA-approved solar viewing glasses , an indirect projector, or this easy-to-make pinpoint solar viewer to safely observe the eclipse.   

How to Make a Pinpoint Solar Viewer

You’ll Need

• Shoebox with lid removed
• Piece of white paper
• Aluminum foil

Safety Tips and Hints

Remind your child to never look directly at the sun. It could permanently damage her vision.

Have your child practice using the solar viewer before the eclipse, so she's an expert when the big moment arrives.

Supervise small children with pins.

Step 3: With a pin, have your child poke a hole slightly larger than the pinhead, in the center of the foil. If you make a mistake, replace the foil and try again. The smaller the hole, the sharper the focus will be.

Step 4: Go outside with your junior astronomer and stand with the sun directly BEHIND you. 

The Science Behind the Fun

When light rays from the sun enter the tiny pinhole, they form an upside-down image of the sun on the paper behind the foil. The image is flipped because of the angle at which the rays of light enter the pinhole and continue on to the paper. Even though the image is upside down, you’ll be able to watch the eclipse without looking directly at the sun.

© Quarry Books, 2016/Kitchen Science Lab for Kids; Featured Photos Credit: © Quarry Books

The eclipse lasts mere minutes, but if your child's enthusiasm for space and astronomy extends beyond the event, share these books about space below! Plus, click here  for a free downloadable coloring activity inspired by the book  Eclipse . 

You can find all books and activities at  The Scholastic Store .

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Electricity STEM: Lighting Up a Shoebox Tiny House

September 21, 2017 | 3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy .

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I have a fun electricity stem lighting up a shoebox activity.

Learning how electrical circuits work are important science skills for kids 4th grade and up.

When you understand how electricity works, you can begin to troubleshoot electrical devices and can even begin to build and design your own inventions!

It’s important for kids to get hands-on experimenting when learning the different parts of a circuit.

When they have an opportunity to practice using electricity, they’ll soon see the importance electricity plays in our everyday lives.

This highly engaging electrical activity will challenge kids to design their own homes by providing each room with a light, fan, and switch!

 I love it when you can combine creativity in a learning project!

Table of Contents

Electrical Shoebox House STEM Activity

When I was a kid in school, I was intimated by science and especially electricity. I had that stereotypical thought that science was for boys and way to difficult for me to understand.

When I was thinking about classes to teach for my up and coming tutorial year, one word kept jumping at me: STEM.

STEM is a highly used buzz word for educators across the world. It stands for S cience, T echnology, E ngineering, and M ath.

I was terrified to teach STEM, but I knew if I wanted my kids to be comfortable with science, I was going to have to get over my fear of it. And boy am I glad I did.

If you’re feeling uncertain about your abilities to teach STEM, don’t. Just jump in and do it.

To do this activity you’ll need:

• alligator clips (at least 4)
• 2 AA battery holders with wires connected
• 4 AA batteries
• 2-3 miniature light bulbs

EASY HANDS ON HOMESCHOOL SCIENCE

To begin this activity, your kids will need a good grasp of how a circuit works. You can always have them play around with the circuits to practice lighting up all of the light bulbs and the motor.

When they have a pretty good understanding of the concept, it’s now time to build the house. First, section off the different rooms of the shoebox. You can use scraps of cardboard to be the dividing walls.

Once the walls are up, it’s time to wire the house.  You may need box cutters to cut holes in the walls (shoebox) to run the wires from the outside of the shoebox into the inside.

Tape may be needed to secure the power source on the outside of the house.Now it’s time to hook up your electricity.

Challenge your kids to light up two rooms of the house and run one fan. Then, if you want to add a little bit of design into your challenge, your children can cut out a door and design furniture.

It really is a tiny house! What a cool way to learn about electricity!

Want to see a really cool shoebox house? Take a look at this video!

Get even more ideas for teaching hands-on science in your homeschool below!

• Hands-On Science: Extreme Wind Experiment
• FBI Unit Study: Building a Crystal Radio
• Human Body Hands-On Activity: DIY Heart Pump

Written by Christa at Little Log Cottage School.

Reader Interactions

July 13, 2019 at 11:03 am

Thank you so much for this pin! Our son was needing ideas for his fair entry in his first level electricity 4-H project. This is perfect, and it is right up his alley, he loves building barns, garages, houses for his farm and ranch scenes. We finally have a project he is excited about and applies what he has learned so far about electricity,

July 15, 2019 at 8:33 am

Love that Cynthia…You must tell me how it goes..I love easy and fun projects and am glad you’re here!!♥♥

June 2, 2018 at 7:14 am

This takes me back to my youth and science class. It all seems so primitive now, but it’s still jsut as much fun I’m sure!

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Shoebox Project Ideas for School

Natalie green.

One idea for school projects that gets overlooked too often is that of shoebox projects. There are so many different projects that can be made from shoeboxes and can be incorporated into each subject. Another positive reason to try a shoebox project on for size is that they are easy to stack and store if you want to keep them.

Explore this article

• Science Shoeboxes
• Social Studies Shoeboxes
• Math Shoeboxes
• Reading Shoeboxes

1 Science Shoeboxes

Shoebox projects for science can be used for almost any unit. If the students are learning about the planets, make models of the solar system in a shoebox tipped on its side. Use different-sized styrofoam balls, paint them to look like each planet, and then use string to hang them from the top of the box. Add a fact sheet to the lid of the box with facts about each planet.

2 Social Studies Shoeboxes

Social studies shoeboxes are just another good example of a subject that can really use these types of projects to illustrate topics learned in class. A unit on any number of wars can have a shoebox project depicting a famous battle learned in class. For units on the desert or the forest, different scenes depicting what would live there and what it would look like can be made in shoeboxes.

3 Math Shoeboxes

Math shoebox projects can be a little bit more difficult to come up with, but can still be used to good advantage. The students can come up with math games in shoeboxes that illustrate the concepts being taught. They can even be passed around and played during free time. If they are learning about word problems, the students can create shoebox word problems where the shoebox illustrates the word problem being solved.

4 Reading Shoeboxes

Any story the students are reading and learning about can be turned into a shoebox project. Make a scene from the story and explain it, or pick vocabulary words from the story and illustrate them. They can even choose a reading concept and design a shoebox activity for it, such as antonyms. Design an activity, such as a shoebox matching game, to illustrate antonyms by using words, pictures, or objects that represent the words they chose.

About the Author

Natalie Green began writing professionally in 2010. She has previously written articles for various web-based clients and has a well-rounded background in both education and psychology. Natalie has a Bachelor of Science in education from Clarion University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in clinical counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio.

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Lessons & Activities on the Three Little Pigs

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Shoebox Science Sets

Download the Lesson Plan

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The GIANT Encyclopedia of Science Activities for Children 3 to 6

5 clear plastic shoe box-sized storage containers with contents as described below Assorted small items, heavy and light

Water bottle

Magnets, various types Assorted objects, metal and non-metal

Magnifying glasses, flashlight and other items with visual interest Small kitchen scale

Items of varying, interesting textures

Instructions

Start with these five basic experiments and add to your collection as new ideas arise.

1. Water Watch: Put in a water bottle for filling the storage container and assorted objects for a "sink or float" experiment.

2. Magnetic Magic: Use assorted magnets, such as horseshoe and wand types and various objects that are metal and non-metal for testing magnetic attraction.

3. Rate the Weight: For weighing experiments, put a small kitchen scale and an assortment of light and heavy objects to weigh in the third container.

4. Optical Tricks: Children will enjoy handling a variety of tools for exploring sight and light, such as magnifying glasses, prisms, kaleidoscopes, flashlight, unbreakable mirrors and translucent color paddles.

5. Touch Tester: Place a cloth to cover the top and sides of the open container, and items of various shapes and textures to identify by touch in the last container.More to doMore science: You can apply the "shoe box set" idea to organize other materials, such as art supplies and manipulatives in your classroom. Each set is self-contained, compact, stackable, visible and easily accessible. This method of organization invites self-discovery and independence and encourages children to classify materials for clean-up.

Elevate your lesson planning: Download this easy activity today!

More lesson plans to try, nothing but sand, are all apples the same, pet classification.

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Marshmallow Launcher STEM Challenge

June 24, 2022 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

Marshmallows are delicious to eat, perfect for melting in hot chocolate and brilliant for launching with a catapult as they are so light! This activity works well with either one full size or several small marshmallows.

Catapults are very inexpensive to make and can be used over and over again which makes them great for a school science project or group STEM challenge.

These four different marshmallow launcher designs all work really well and can be tweaked or changed easily.

Either follow the instructions to make a launcher like one of ours or design your own with this Marshmallow Launcher STEM Challenge design sheet .

Marshmallow Launcher Designs

Craft stick catapult.

The traditional popsicle stick catapult is very easy to make. You just need craft or popsicle sticks, elastic bands, tape and a milk bottle top.

Investigation ideas

• Try different size and shape marshmallows to find out which travel the furthest.

Remember to only change one variable at a time. For example, if you’re changing the type of marshmallow use the same amount of force on the launching arm.

Triangular Pyramid Stick Catapult

Our first attempt using play dough to connect the skewers didn’t quite work as it wasn’t strong enough. We found elastic bands worked much better.

To make this catapult all you need to do is make the triangular pyramid shape with sticks ( we used BBQ skewers ) and elastic bands.

When you have a sturdy pyramid shape, use more elastic bands to attach a wooden spoon to another stick.

Use elastic bands again to attach the stick with the spoon to one corner of the pyramid and then thread another elastic band over the top of the pyramid and the spoon.

Pull back and let go!

Investigation Ideas

• Try pulling the launching arm half way and then all the way back measuring how far the marshmallow travels each time.
• Can you make a giant version of a stick catapult ?

Shoebox Marshmallow Catapult

Shoebox catapults are also easy to make and a bit less fiddly than the stick catapult. They are also stable so very simple for younger children to manipulate.

Experiment with bigger and smaller spoons to see which fire the marshmallows the furthest!

Paper Cup Marshmallow Launcher

This design is super simple and another good one for younger children.

To make a paper cup marshmallow launcher you’ll need

A paper cup with the bottom cut off.

A balloon with the end tied and the top removed.

Small marshmallows

Instructions

Attach the balloon to the bottom of the paper cup like the image above. If it slips off try securing with an elastic band.

Fill the cup with marshmallows, pull back the balloon end and release.

The marshmallows should fly out of the launcher.

Experiment with small marshmallows to investigate how far apart they spread out when you use the full force of the launcher.

More Marshmallow Experiments

Learn about strong and weak shapes with marshmallow and spaghetti structures .

Team Cartwright has some delicious looking marshmallow play dough .

Did you know you can make your own marshmallows? It’s a bit messy and sticky but totally worth the effort. You can find out how in my book, Snackable Science .

You might also like my HUGE collection of kitchen science experiments .

Last Updated on June 24, 2022 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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A Science Experiment In A Shoebox

By Susan Coney

Sixth grade students from Barbara Mancher’s class have been conducting experiments about the weather and presenting their results to classmates in an unusual manner: the contents of the experiment had to fit inside of a standard shoebox.

The students teamed up to research such topics as condensation, humidity, cloud formations, and pressure systems as part of a unit of study on weather. After receiving their assignments students researched, conducted the experiment, and presented their findings to the class.

The students performed simple five-minute scientific experiments, using everyday household items and assembling all of the materials to fit in a shoebox. The children were asked to decorate the box to advertise the weather experiment they were studying. Ms Mancher told the students to practice presenting the project at home and to be certain that they were very knowledgeable about the experiment they were performing so that they could answer questions from classmates.

Ms Mancher gave the students the assignment and told them to approach it as if they were teaching an audience how to follow a recipe on the cooking channel. She told the students, “You need to explain what your experiment is, why is works that way, and how it applies to weather in the real world.”

Kurt Liniger and Michaela Beaudry presented a project on low-pressure systems. The students demonstrated the formation and effect of low pressure to the class by using everyday materials such as a ruler, pencil, tape, thread, and two balloons. Michaela revealed that what the pair thought would happen did not. “We were totally wrong but we learned something,” Michaela said.

As with every science experiment, the students were given a clear rubric outlining the instructions in carrying out the experiment and how they were to be evaluated. As part of this project a portion of the grade was based on the quality of the presentation. The students were evaluated on the creativity of decorating or advertising the weather experiment, having all the materials needed for the experiment, explaining the purpose of the experiment, clearly explaining the steps involved and being able to answer questions from the class or teacher.

Students were also evaluated on their presentation skills such as speaking loud and clearly and having good eye contact.

Kurt and Michaela were the first of their class to present the shoebox experiments on Friday, January 27, and received an encouraging cheer from classmates upon the completion of their presentation.

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Science in a Shoebox: Motion and Gravity

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Questions & answers, katie heginbotham.

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Ideas for a Shoebox Animal Habitat Project

How to Create a Habitat for a School Project

Dioramas are a project often assigned by teachers at all grade levels and may require students to artfully reconstruct an animal habitat. Using a shoe box as the basis for the diorama allows the student to transport and contain the habitat for scoring and classmate review. Students may have the freedom to create a shoe box habitat according to preference or they may have an assigned animal, but in either instance, creativity is crucial to making the shoe box habitat stand apart from the rest.

Rainforest or Jungle Habitat

A rainforest habitat for animals native to the humid jungle can be created in a shoe box. Paint the inner surfaces of the box with green acrylic paint and insert plastic toy trees. Paper trees or trees painted onto the sides of the box are other acceptable means of including the trees crucial to a rainforest display. Paint the bottom surface of the box with slightly watered-down school glue and adhere dried moss (or craft moss appearing as dried moss) or plastic Easter grass to appear as rainforest or jungle flooring. Insert animals native to the rainforest or jungle such as cougars, colorful birds, tree frogs and gorillas.

Creatures of the Sea

Paint the inside of your shoe box in blue acrylic paint, allow it to dry and adhere sheets of light blue cellophane or plastic wrap to each surface to appear as water in an under sea habitat. Turn the box on its end, lengthwise, and hang plastic squirting bath fish from the top with fishing line. An adult may assist with pressing a needle threaded with the fishing line through the fish in order to hang it. Create hanging jellyfish with cut-down coffee filters and strips of crepe paper streamers or tissue paper.

Desert Atmosphere

A desert habitat may include snakes, cacti, lizards, rabbits and foxes. Paint sand dunes in the inner sides of a shoe box and blue sky above them with acrylic paint. Mix play sand and common school glue together until it sticks when a ball is formed and mold sand dune pyramids with rounded edges. Allow them to dry completely and insert them into the shoe box. Pour extra play sand around the pyramid dunes and place paper-made or plastic animals native to the desert inside.

Treehouse Dwellings

Some animals reside in trees and may be right outside the window of your home or thousands of miles away in the African jungle. Paint the shoe box green and glue various faux leaves from floral stems, which can be found in any dollar or discount store, to each surface of the box. It should appear as if the viewer is looking down from the sky into the tree habitat. One idea is to weave a nest from twigs and layer it with down feathers. Carefully place it among the "tree leaves" to appear as a bird's nest.

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How to make a diorama of planets, how to make an ecosystem with a shoebox, how to make a shoebox biome for school, how to create a 3d wetland diorama, animal habitat lessons for kindergarten, how to build a 3d model of the solar system, how to make a habitat shoebox diorama, how do you make an ecosystem project, how to make a monkey diorama, how to make a dolphin habitat in a shoe box for school, how to build a model of the solar system out of balloons, how to make an animal cell model using recyclable material, how to make an ocean project out of a shoebox, how to build a solar system model for kids, how to build an otter shoebox habitat, how to make a desert biome in a shoe box, instructions on making a 3d model of an ecosystem, how to build an ancient egyptian tomb for a school..., how to make a diorama of an ecosystem.

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• DLTK Teach: Habitat Craft

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Many people think science is difficult and needs special equipment, but that’s not true.

Science can be explored at home using everyday materials. Everyone, especially children, naturally ask questions about the world around them, and science offers a structured way to find answers.

Misconceptions about the difficulty of science often stem from a lack of exposure to its fun and engaging side. Science can be as simple as observing nature, mixing ingredients or exploring the properties of objects. It’s not just for experts in white coats, but for everyone.

Don’t take my word for it. Below are three experiments that can be done at home with children who are primary school age and older.

Extract DNA from bananas

DNA is all the genetic information inside cells. Every living thing has DNA, including bananas.

Did you know you can extract DNA from banana cells?

What you need: ¼ ripe banana, Ziploc bag, salt, water, washing-up liquid, rubbing alcohol (from a pharmacy), coffee filter paper, stirrer.

What you do:

Place a pinch of salt into about 20ml of water in a cup.

Add the salty water to the Ziploc bag with a quarter of a banana and mash the banana up with the salty water inside the bag, using your hands. Mashing the banana separates out the banana cells. The salty water helps clump the DNA together.

Once the banana is mashed up well, pour the banana and salty water into a coffee filter (you can lay the filter in the cup you used to make the salty water). Filtering removes the big clumps of banana cells.

Once a few ml have filtered out, add a drop of washing-up liquid and swirl gently. Washing-up liquid breaks down the fats in the cell membranes which makes the DNA separate from the other parts of the cell.

Slowly add some rubbing alcohol (about 10ml) to the filtered solution. DNA is insoluble in alcohol, therefore the DNA will clump together away from the alcohol and float, making it easy to see.

DNA will start to precipitate out looking slightly cloudy and stringy. What you’re seeing is thousands of DNA strands – the strands are too small to be seen even with a normal microscope. Scientists use powerful equipment to see individual strands.

Learn how plants ‘drink’ water

What you need: celery stalks (with their leaves), glass or clear cup, water, food dye, camera.

• Fill the glass ¾ full with water and add 10 drops of food dye.
• Place a celery stalk into the glass of coloured water. Take a photograph of the celery.
• For two to three days, photograph the celery at the same time every day. Make sure you take a photograph at the very start of the experiment.

What happens and why?

All plants, such as celery, have vertical tubes that act like a transport system. These narrow tubes draw up water using a phenomenon known as capillarity.

Imagine you have a thin straw and you dip it into a glass of water. Have you ever noticed how the water climbs up the straw a little bit, even though you didn’t suck on it? This is because of capillarity.

In plants, capillarity helps move water from the roots to the leaves. Plants have tiny tubes inside them, like thin straws, called capillaries. The water sticks to the sides of these tubes and climbs up. In your experiment, you will see the food dye in the water make its way to the leaves.

Build a balloon-powered racecar

What you need: tape, scissors, two skewers, cardboard, four bottle caps, one straw, one balloon.

• Cut the cardboard to about 10cm long and 5cm wide. This will form the base of your car.
• Make holes in the centre of four bottle caps. These are your wheels.
• To make the axles insert the wooden skewers through the holes in the cap. You will need to cut the skewers to fit the width of the cardboard base, but leave room for the wheels.
• Secure the wheels to the skewers with tape.
• Attach the axles to the underside of the car base with tape, ensuring the wheels can spin freely.
• Insert a straw into the opening of a balloon and secure it with tape, ensuring there are no air leaks.
• Attach the other end of the straw to the top of the car base, positioning it so the balloon can inflate and deflate towards the back of the car. Secure the straw with tape.
• Inflate the balloon through the straw, pinch the straw to hold the air, place the car on a flat surface, then release the straw.

The inflated balloon stores potential energy when blown up. When the air is released, Newton’s third law of motion kicks into gear: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

As the air rushes out of the balloon (action), it pushes the car in the opposite direction (reaction). The escaping air propels the car forward, making it move across the surface.

• Science experiments

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