Science Fair for Young Children

SJK (T) ALOR GAJAH

Balloon Powered Car

Riniesha A/P Mugunthan, Gayastree Jasmin A/P Ramachandran,
Pritykka A/P Ramu, Thanush A/L Kalaiselvan, Theeban A/L Vellasamy
1.

Abstract
The present paper is an investigation on the efficiency of cars powered by an air-filled
toy balloon in which contributes propulsion. The causes of energy loss have been investigated
theoretically and several precise experiments have been made to determine the amount of
energy loss that occurs for different causes. Experiments were done using image processing
techniques, measuring the volume of the balloon and its changes in several cases and leading
to energy analysis. It will be shown that about 50% of the energy will be lost as a result of the
Moulins effect, and a variable amount will be lost as a result of the head loss.
1.1
Objective
To build a Balloon Rocket Car that can extract the most energy out of the inflated balloon and
make the vehicle travel the longest distance
2.

Introduction
The main method design we will emphasize in this paper on is by attaching the filled
balloon to the car pointing the installation of a filled balloon on the car, backwards and
emptying freely in the air with its end pointing towards the back of the car, emptying freely in
the air. In this case, because of the momentum of the outgoing air jet, a force will be exerted
to the car, forcing it to move. There are other methods designs which use could utilize a
balloon to move a car as a source of energy to mobilize the car as used in the Balloon Car.
2.1

Background Information
The thrust of a jet engine is similar to the thrust produced in the balloon rocket car.
When the balloon is blown up the air is pushing on the balloon skin keeping it inflated.
Covering the nozzle of the balloon keeps this high pressure air trapped and at this point all
the forces are balanced. Once the nozzle is opened the forces inside the balloon are no longer
balanced and the high pressure air wants to escapes through the nozzle which produces thrust
and makes the car accelerate.
Similarly, in a jet engine the air enters the engine where it is compressed and heated to
create a high pressure region which is then accelerated through a nozzle to produce a thrust
force. This principle follows Newtons Second Law of Motion, Force= mass x acceleration.
Otherwise stated, if an object is acted on by an unbalanced force it will undergo an
acceleration. The amount of acceleration depends on the force and the mass of the object.
What forces are acting on the balloon rocket car? There are two main forces acting on
the balloon rocket car: Friction and Air resistance. The friction force is the resistance between
two objects sliding against each other. While building your car identify the places where
objects will be rubbing against each other creating friction. Air resistance is also another form
of friction where an object is sliding against air particles. You can experience this air
resistance when riding a bike and the wind is hitting your face. You must pedal fast enough to
overcome the wind. The rocket car has the greatest air resistance when fully inflated and
begins moving because there is more area that has to push past the air particles. One last item
to consider before constructing the balloon rocket car is how the nozzle size will affect the
distance the car will travel. Keep in mind the nozzle size will determine how much pushing
force (thrust) the balloon will create. The greater the size the greater the thrust but the faster
the air will escape. The smaller the nozzle the smaller the thrust but the car may roll longer.

Science Fair for Young Children

SJK (T) ALOR GAJAH

3.
Materials and Methods
Cylinder Balloon, Handy cutter, Super glue, Masking Tape, Measuring tape, Plastic wire
metal casing, floor carpet, Hand saw, Ruler, Calculator, and hand balloon pump.
4. Experiments
4.1
Experiment 1 (Different volume of air vs. Distance travelled)
Design the car based used recycle things and in other hand we built the track for launch the
car. After done the track and car we inflate the balloon in three different volumes, and then
clipped then, we clipped the nozzle of the balloons. Measured the volume of the air in the
balloons. Setup the balloon with car and inside the track. Then, we released the clip. Finally,
we record the distance travelled by the balloon powered car.
4.2
Experiment 2 (Mass of balloon powered car vs. Distance travelled)
With same track and the same cars we pasted with the different number of mass coin. Then
inflate the balloons in same volume Arrange the cars on the track with different number of
mass coins. Then, we released the clip. Finally, we record the distance travelled by the
balloon powered car. Calculate the distance and record the findings for 3 times. Calculate the
average time taken after 3 trials
5.
Results and Discussion
5.1
Results
5.1.1. To investigate the relationship between the volume of air in the balloon and
distance travelled by the balloon powered car.
Balloo
n
Power
ed Car

A
B
C

Volume
of air
(cm3)

Distance travelled
(m)
T1

T2

T3

Average

314.0

62

60

58

60

401.9

99

94

95

96

12
522.7

130

127

Table 1: The Volume Of Air And Distance Travelled

127
Graf 1: Volume of air vs Distance

The result indicates that as the volume of air inside balloon increase, the distance travelled by
powered balloon car increase. Using the formula to calculate the volume of air and record
distance travelled 3 trial and get average results by add the distance of 3 trials and divided 3.
The average for highest distance is balloon C , 127cm and this variation could be explained
due to increase of volume of air inside balloon, increase the distances its travelled .

Science Fair for Young Children

SJK (T) ALOR GAJAH

5.1.2. To investigate the relationship between the mass of the balloon powered car and
the distance travelled by the balloon powered car
Balloo
n
Power
ed Car

Mass of
the
powere
d
balloon
car (g)

Distance travelled
(m)
T1

T2

T3

Average
(cm)

103

99

100

100.6

35

55

54

60

56

56.67

75

23

28

25

25.33

Table 1: The Volume of Air and Distance Travelled

Graf 1: Volume of air vs. Distance

The result indicates that as the mass of balloon car increase, the distance travelled by
powered balloon car decrease. Record distance travelled 3 trial and get average results by add
the distance of 3 trials and divided 3. The average for highest distance is balloon A, 100.67cm
and this variation could be explained due to increase of mass of balloon powered car;
decrease the distances its travelled.
5.2

Discussion

In our first experiment, we calculate the volume of air based this formula:

Based on the formula, we manage to calculate volume to make different. After the car was
placed on a surface and was released, the air moves out of the straw in one direction and the
car moves in the opposite direction. The balloon powered car is a good example of Newtons
third law of motion. It states, To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this
case, the air is pushed out of the straw in one direction and the car is pushed in the opposite
direction.
The bigger the volume, the farther should be the distance travelled. On the other hand, the
bigger mass car, which travelled less distanced
The size of the balloon affected the
performance of the car as well. The bigger balloon had a greater amount of air on it than the

Science Fair for Young Children

SJK (T) ALOR GAJAH

smaller balloon. So when released, the car with a bigger balloon covered a greater distance
for sure.
6.

Conclusion

The results we have collected are reasonably reliable although there are some
miscellaneous happen throughout the experiments. When the volume of air inside balloon
increase, the distance travelled by the car also increase. When the mass of powered balloon
car increase, the distance travelled was decreases.
The balloon-powered rocket car is an excellent demonstration of Newtons Third Law
of Motion. Air is compressed inside a balloon that is expanded. When the nozzle is released,
the balloon returns to its original un-inflated size by propelling the air out of its nozzle. The
action force of the expelling air produces a reaction force that pushes the racer in the opposite
direction. The engineering design of the racer is very important. The moving Balloon
Powered Car has kinetic energy, but even an object that isn't moving has energy. This energy
is called potential energy. The potential energy of the car is in the elastic material of the
balloon. As the balloon fills with air, it builds more potential energy. As the air flows from the
balloon, it changes to kinetic energy. This is the conservation of energy.
7. Acknowledgement
We would like to express our deep and sincere gratitude to our science teachers, as well as
our headmaster, parents and the organizers for giving us the opportunity, guidance,
motivation and necessary support.
8. Recommendations
Based on our studies, we have to continues with investigate in different area like,
modify of shape car, the friction of surface and futher more which one more related.
9.

References
Web
Activity: Balloon-powered Car ASEE 26 April 2010 < http://teachers.egfik12.org/activity-ballon-powered-car/>
Balloon Powered Car Steve Spangler Science Copyright 2013 <
http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/balloon-powered-race-car>
Balloon Car Contest at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
http://balloonhq.com/balloon_car/balloon_car.html
Journal
Parham Zendedel Nobaria, Reza Montazeri Naminb, Hossein Azizinaghshc Efficiency
Evaluations Of A Balloon Powered Car: (2008)