Physical Lab: Balloon Car Project, Brief Description of the Project

Physical Lab: Balloon Car Project
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Physical Lab: Balloon Car Project
* Brief Description of the Project
* Materials and Tools
The tools and materials used in the construction of the balloon-powered car included air balloon, 4 bottle caps, a straw, glue, tape, wooden stick, a rectangular piece of cardboard, hammer, and nail.
* Defined Task
The task involves the construction of a balloon-powered car. The car was meant to demonstrate the use of compressed air in propelling an object. Additionally, the project was also aimed at demonstrating various principles and laws in physics. Particularly, the task was meant to demonstrate Newton laws of motion and the law of conservation of energy. Other concepts demonstrated by the project include momentum, work, energy, unbalanced force, friction, force, and acceleration. Furthermore, the task involved the observation and collection of data – time and distance.
* Brief Description of My Car
The balloon-powered car was constructed using a procedure consisting of various steps. The first step involved cutting out a rectangular piece of cardboard measuring approximately 7.5 cm by 15 cm. Before cutting out this piece of cardboard, a ruler and pen was used to draw the rectangular outline on the cardboard. A pair of scissors was used to cut out the required piece of cardboard. The second step involved cutting 2 pieces of straw measuring 7.5 cm each. The pieces of straw were used to hold the axles and wheels in place. The third step entailed fixing the straws on the rectangular cardboard using a tape. The two straws were laid parallel to the cardboard’s width and fixed with a tape approximately 1.5 cm from the cardboard ends. Fourth, 2 pieces of the wooden stick measuring 10 cm each were cut. These sticks served as the axles of the car’s wheels. Fifth, the sticks (axles) were slid into the each of the straws. Sixth, holes were poked in the center of each of the four bottle caps using a nail and hammer. The caps were fixed on the wooden sticks (axles). These bottle caps served as the car’s wheels.
Next, about 5 cm of a straw was slid into the balloon and fixed in position using a tape, forming a tight spiral around the balloon’s end. The other end of the straw on top of the cardboard (car) was then fixed such that the balloon faced the front of the car. With the car standing on its four wheels, the researcher inflated the balloon by blowing air into it. The end of the straw was pinched with the thumb to prevent air from escaping. With the car resting on a flat, smooth surface, the researcher released the straw and the car moved forward. The experiment was repeated three times while noting and recording the necessary data.
* Problems and Solutions Encountered
Several problems were encountered while constructing the balloon-powered car. For instance, the two straws that held the axles were initially loose and not parallel to the cardboard’s width. As a consequence, the car failed to travel in a straight line, making it difficult to measure the distance. To fix this problem, it was...