Dr Jo Science wonders why…
… in SuperQuesters: The Case of the Stolen Sun, the hot air balloon rises when the air is heated?
Try this exclusive activity from Dr Jo Science, created especially for the SuperQuesters, to see if you can work out why the hot air balloon rises when the air is heated.
What you need: See through plastic cup or glass, a few raisins, clear fizzy drink like lemonade
Activity: Fill the clear glass with the fizzy drink. What happens to the bubbles? What do you notice? Where are they? What are they doing? What happens when the bubbles reach the surface? Now drop a raisin in the fizzy drink. What do you think will happen? Watch what happens – does the raisin float or sink? What do the bubbles do? What happens next? What do you think is happening, and why?
Dr Jo Science says…
… in SuperQuesters: The Case of the Stolen Sun the hot air balloon rises because heating the air in the hot air balloon makes the particles (minute portions of matter) less dense (more spaced apart), or comparatively lighter, than the surrounding air, so the balloon floats.
For more fun STEM activities from Dr Jo Science head to: https://drjosciencesolutions.co.uk/workshops-2/lockdown-learning/