“Air Adventures,” Friend, Mar. 1998, 46
Air Adventures
Air is constantly moving things. Have you ever watched a tree sway in the wind, or a flower wave in the breeze? Try this balloon trick to see how you can use air power to move things.
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Pull a piece of string at least 6′ (1.8 m) long through a drinking straw.
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Tie each end of the string to a chair, and move one of the chairs so that the string is pulled tight.
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Blow up a balloon. Hold the opening closed, and tape one side of the balloon to the straw. Don’t let go of the balloon yet!
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Keep pinching the balloon closed as you slide the straw to the end of the string the end of the balloon is pointing toward.
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Now let go of the balloon.
Your balloon uses the force of the air leaving it to push against the air in the room. Does this work if you slide the straw to the other chair before releasing the balloon?