There are several ways of doing this experiment. Can you find the best solution?

Equipment

  • 1 milk carton
  • 4 milk carton caps (for the wheels)
  • 1 awl
  • 2 straws
  • 2 skewer
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • 1 balloon

Shows a milk carton car in the making to illustrate the topic of the experiment

Instructions

  1. Cut the straws so that they are more or less the same length as the width of the milk carton.
  2. Cut the skewers so that they are about 2 cm longer than the straws.
  3. Poke holes through the milk carton caps and thread them over the edges of the straws. Adhere the straws to one side of the carton so that the caps poke out on each side and can function as wheels.
  4. Turn the carton around and attach the balloon with tape in a way that lets you inflate it while it is attached.
  5. Place the car onto the floor, inflate the balloon, let the air out, and watch what happens.

What happens?

Air contains air molecules. When you inflate the balloon, you push air molecules into it. If you let them back out again, they flow out with lots of force. As Newton’s law teaches us, for every action there is an equal opposite reaction. The opposite force pushes the milk carton car forward as the air blows backwards. Isaac Newton, born in 1642, made this discovery. Can you find other and better ways of making a milk carton car?

There are several ways of doing this experiment. Can you find the best solution? Equipment 1 milk carton 4 milk carton caps (for the wheels) 1 awl 2 straws 2 skewer Scissors Tape 1 balloon Instructions Cut the straws so that they are more or less the same length as the width of the milk….Click to read more