What you need
- Balloons
- Teaspoon measures
- String
- Various extracts
- Balloon air pump
What to do
Teacher Set Up: Pour 1 teaspoon of extract into a balloon. Inflate most of the way and tie off. Repeat with different balloons and extracts. Tie a piece of string to the balloon and tape to the counter.
- Shake a balloon. (Do you feel anything in there?)
- Smell it and try to guess the smell. (How is the balloon emitting a scent?)
- Continue with the other balloons, and then check your answers.
Teacher Wrap Up: To deflate, cut the balloons around the knot and it will deflate slowly.
Learn More Together
Diffusion describes the movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. In this activity, the scent molecules are so small, that they can travel through the balloon’s pores! This is the same for air molecules in the balloons that you may have at home. An inflated balloon has greater air pressure than the air around it, so the air inside the balloon gradually escapes, or diffuses out.
Exhibits: | How Does It Work?Invention ConventionMatter Factory |
Subjects: | Physical Science |