Activity Overview
Wow your friends with this mind boggling experiment which showcases surface tension. In this experiment, inquisitive scientists will enact two similar scenarios which will yield very different results. In the first trial, the single pin puts a great deal of pressure on one spot of the balloon causing it to burst. In the second experiment, the surface tension is greater and is more spread out which allows the balloon to stay intact even with added pushing onto the pointy surface.
Materials Needed
- 2 balloons blown up and tied
- 10 push pins
How to Do It
- First take one push pin and face it point side up on the table.
- Pick up the balloon and place it on top of the push pin. Make observations as to the result.
- Next lay out 10 push pins on the table pin side up and place the other balloon on top of the ten pins.
- Push down a little bit on the balloon and observe what happens.
