Flying Teabag Experiment

Make a teabag fly with this easy experiment. A match turns the tea bag into a hot air balloon.

Equipment

• Tinfoil (put this on the surface where you’re working to cover it)
• Teabags without glue in the middle. Twinings works
• Scissors
• Matches

Instructions

1. An adult should be present during this experiment
2. Put a layer of tinfoil on the table to prevent mess
3. Open the teabag and cut off the end where the string is attached
4. Pour out the tea, shape the teabag into a tall cylinder and place the teabag on the tinfoil
5. Hold a match at the top of the top of the teabag so it catches on fire
6. The teabag will fly once it is almost entirely burnt down

What happens?

Hot gases are formed when the teabag burns. The gases are lighter than the surrounding air and rise upwards. When there’s just a tiny bit of teabag left, the teabag is light enough to be carried upwards along with these hot gases. Therefore it flies away like a hot air balloon!