Activity Overview
Make ping pong balls dance and do-si-do in mid air when you perform this fun Dancing Ping Pong Ball Experiment. In this experiment, you will be exploring the Bernouli Effect in which the faster air flows, the less pressure it ends up having.
In this case, the hair dryer creates a fast moving stream of air resulting in a low pressure stream. The ping pong balls in this experiment float and dance in an low pressure air stream surrounded by high pressure air surround in it.
Children of all ages will enjoy this fun science trick. Take turns performing the placement of the balls as well as the ball drop. The kids will have great fun learning about air pressure right in your own home.
Materials Needed
- A hairdryer
- 2 ping pong balls
- An electricity source/plug
How to Do It
- Make sure that you are working in an area that is completely dry.
- Plug in a hairdryer and place the setting on cool.
- Place the hair dryer so that the air shaft is facing straight up.
- Turn the hair dryer on.
- Place the first ping pong ball in the stream of air. It should stay floating in the air stream.
- Add the second ping pong ball to the air stream and watch as this ball also floats in the stream of air.
- Now, for added fun, pick up the top floating ball and hold it high above the other ball.
- Drop the ball from up high straight down into the air stream. The two balls will switch places in mid air.
