This Saturday, our team helped the students learn the application of physics concepts like potential and kinetic energy through the making of balloon powered cars! After first enjoying their juice, the students used the empty juice boxes to serve as the body of the car, taped the straws on top, and used rubber bands to secure their balloons to the car. Then, with some help, wooden wheels and axles (toothpicks) were added on. As the students tested their cars and found that some had more difficulty than others, they began to compare cars and examine the differences they found between one another's wheels and straws. Our team then explained the most important science concepts that would impact their success. Inflating a balloon stores potential energy in stretched rubber and compressed air. Releasing the balloon converts this energy to kinetic energy, causing it to move. Some energy is lost as heat due to friction, which differs based on the surface that the car is tested on; smoother surfaces like the wooden tables proved to be more successful than rougher ones like the carpet. The law of conservation of energy states that energy is never lost, only transformed into different forms. With this in mind, the students made changes to their cars and found that they worked better!
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