F3-02: SURFACE TENSION - BALLOONS
- ID Code: F3-02
- Purpose: demonstrate surface tension in a counterintuitive way.
- Description:
Use two identical balloons. Blow up one balloon on the tube and clamp it. Then blow up the other balloon to a different size and slip it onto the other end of the tube.
Q: When you remove the clamp, what will happen?: (a) the small balloon will get smaller and the large one larger, (b) the two balloons will become equal, or (c) they will stay the way they are.
A: The small balloon will blow up the larger one, and get smaller, due to surface tension effects. The rubber is thicker in a smaller balloon, and thus produces greater surface tension.
- Availability: Available
- References: http://www.physics.umd.edu/deptinfo/facilities/lecdem/services/refs/refsf.htm#F3-02
- Videos-1: http://lecdem.physics.umd.edu/images/videos/Demo_Vid/f3-02.mpg
- Videos-2: http://lecdem.physics.umd.edu/images/videos/Demo_Vid/f3-02_BurstingWaterBalloon.wmv