Monday, June 07, 2010

Science Experiments Go Sky High

On Thursday Mr Crosby and his class from Sparks, Nevada, gave us a science lesson via Skype showing us how hot air rises. Last week we had given Mr Crosby our High Hopes on his blog and they were taken up high in a payload on a balloon.

For the science lesson he lit a piece of very light paper and we watched while it lifted into the air when it got hot. He also heated steam inside a soda can and then plunged the can into cold water. The drop in pressure crushed the can. We are going to try that experiment at school.

The video shows part of the experiments we did and the lift off of the balloon. A video camera on the balloon recorded it's flight until the air pressure collapsed the balloon. We need to thank Dr. Eric Wang & Dr. Jeff LaCombe at University of Nevada, Reno for assistance with the project as well.

1 comment:

Melville Int. Room 8 said...

What a wonderful project I think that your students are going to be especially impressed by the fact that it has been a collaboration across the world! Wonderful!
Mr Webb and Room 8, Melville Intermediate, Hamilton, Waikato.