Ping Pong Ball

Overview:

Can You Levitate a Ping Pong Ball using just your breath? How long can you do it? In this experiment, young scientists will learn about air pressure and how it can be used to levitate a ping pong ball for a long period of time.

Materials

Instructions

  1. Take straws, and stretch them out into L shape.
  2. Align straws and hold them together.
  3. Wrap one pipe cleaner around straws to secure them together.
  4. Take the other pipe cleaner, and from the end of the wire, bend into a circle with ~1-inch diameter.
  5. Twist the circle pipe cleaner onto the straw by the end without a circle so that the circle is directly above the spout of the shorter leg of the L straw.
  6. Place ping pong ball on the circle.
  7. Blow into the straw. Do you see how the ping pong ball is suspended straight above the straw?

Scientific Concept

Air Pressure is the measure of the force of air molecules in the atmosphere pressing on objects they come in contact with. Faster-moving air produces low-pressure areas while slower-moving air creates high-pressure areas.

The ping pong ball appears to float above the straw because the high pressure of still air exerts a greater force on the ping pong ball than the column of low-pressure air (over the straw opening), which keeps the ping pong ball from falling off the side

Real-World Application

Air pressure is involved in many aspects of people’s everyday lives. The weather, for instance, is directly tied to the changes in air pressure: a low pressure system in an area typically elicits cloudiness, wind, and precipitation while a high pressure system will lead to fair, calm weather.

Also, airplanes can fly because of a difference in air pressure between the top and bottom of their wings which generates lift.

Results