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How To Float A Ping Pong Ball In The Air

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How To Float A Ping Pong Ball In The Air

Learn something new with a simple and whacky experiment! David from Science Boffins defies the laws of gravity for VideoJug with this ten second trick, showing you how to float a ping pong ball in the air. Learn something new with a simple and whacky experiment! David from Science Boffins defies the laws of gravity for VideoJug with this ten second trick, showing you how to float a ping pong ball in the air.

Step 1: You will need…

Step 2: AIM

The aim of this experiment is to make a ping pong ball float in the air

Step 3: METHOD

Plug in a hair dryer and turn it on.

Hold the hairdryer so that its nozzle is pointing upwards and place the ping pong ball in the airflow. The ping pong ball hovers over the hairdryer.

Step 4: CONCLUSIONS

Why did this happen?

The pressure inside the stream of air generated by the hairdryer was lower than the air swirling around it. This surrounding air pushed on all sides of the ball, which held it inside the hairdryer air stream.

Gravity stopped the ball from flying straight up into the air.

When hairdryer is tipped to a certain point the ball falls down. This is the point at which gravity was exerts a greater force on the ball than the air pressure does.

A similar effect can be produced with a straw and a malteser. Place the malteser on the straw, and blow.

Experiment Complete!

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Tips & Comments
  1. Anonymous

    Love It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It Helps me understand air pressure better

  2. Anonymous

    science fair drama! Big help! I recomend!

  5. hellom3m3

    HAHA messed up on smilie face......ooooops

  6. hellom3m3

    I wanted to see your hands make it float! But nice vid tho............. Have someone hold the hairdrier under you and hide that person by your legs. Turn hairdrier on high then act like itd your hands. I did that on a vid and people belived me. HAHA :-D TRY IT :D............................................................... But hide the person from view from camera...... NO STRINGS INCLUDED. ------------------- Emily :) O>O \__/

  7. Anonymous

    clever kind of stuff

  8. Anonymous

    hi people this vido rocks by people

  9. Anonymous

    This so easy you just have to keep it above you !!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. Anonymous

    Of course and adult'll watch it and go "oh, so lame" but lil' kids love this kind of stuff. Top tip: find a way to hide the hair drier while doing this. XD