Rolling Can

This Demonstration is included in a bundle of 101 Science Demonstrations & Experiments. You can find this bundle here in my TpT Store. These exciting demonstrations use mostly inexpensive materials that you can find around your home or can be easily purchased. I show how to run the demonstration, give helpful advice and explain the science concepts behind it. Many of these demonstrations can be turned into STEM projects for your students. For fun & FREE STEM Activities, click here!

Also please check out my bundle of 36 STEM Activities: STEM for the whole year! 

 

 

Materials needed:

• Large Balloon
• Pop (Soda) Cans

Directions:

  1. Charge your balloon by rubbing it on your head (or better yet, have a volunteer charge it for you!).
  2. Show how the balloon will stick to the wall or ceiling.
  3. Bring the balloon close to the can and pull the can along with the balloon.

The Science Behind this Experiment:

This demonstration used static electricity to pull the balloon across the table. As you rub the balloon on your hair, electrons (which are negatively charged) are being stripped from your hair and transfered to the balloon. Negative charges repel each other, but negative and positive charges pull towards each other. When you bring the negatively charged balloon up to something stationary, the negative charges in that object will go away from the surface, leaving the positive charges to pull the balloon against it.  Likewise, when you place the negatively charged balloon next to a pop can, the electrons in the soda can will move away (repel) from the surface that’s facing the balloon, causing the can to roll.

Did you like this Demonstration?

You can find 100 more of them in a resource I recently put together. Check it out here in my store.

101 science demonstrations

 

Sample Demonstrations:

Chemistry
Combustion
Density
Electricity
Energy
Food Science
Forces and Motion
Light
Magnetism
Sound
Sublimation