Santa Maria Institute

Middle School Section 2024-2025​

Science Fair Project 2025

Name of the Balloon Rocket Car

experiment

Question:
Would a car that is only powered by air works?
Guillermo
Background research: Guillermo

Summary of Balloon Car Physics

●​ Potential Energy: When inflated, a balloon stores potential energy from stretched rubber and
compressed air.
●​ Kinetic Energy: Upon release, this potential energy transforms into kinetic energy, causing the balloon
to move.
●​ Heat Energy: Some energy is lost as heat due to friction.
●​ Conservation of Energy: According to the law of conservation of energy, energy cannot be created or
destroyed, only transformed into different forms.

Summary of Newton's Third Law and Balloon Movement

●​ Newton's Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
●​ Balloon Mechanics:
○​ Inflating a balloon stores energy; releasing the nozzle allows the rubber to contract and expel
air.
○​ The expelled air creates an equal and opposite reaction, pushing the balloon forward.
●​ Real-World Application: This principle is also used in rockets and jets, where high-speed gas streams
propel vehicles.
●​ Project Idea: Build a toy car that moves forward using the escaping air from a deflating balloon.

Summary of Wheel and Axle in Balloon Cars

●​ Simple Machine: The car utilizes a wheel and axle, a fundamental invention that is often overlooked.
●​ Everyday Usage: Many people use wheeled vehicles daily.
●​ Importance in Design
 Santa Maria Institute
Middle School Section 2024-2025​
Science Fair Project 2025

We think that if you are going to work because when the balloon is inflated and the place
Hypothesis
where the air can escape is held, air remains accumulated in the balloon, but when that part is
:Max
released it causes the balloon to release air and the bottle is propelled.
Materials :Juliana
Name Characteristics Name Characteristics
1. Plastic bottle A plastic bottle is a 7. A league
bottle constructed from
high-density or low
density plastic.
2. two straws A thin, hollow tube of 8.
paper or plastic for
sucking a drink from a
glass or bottle.
3. Two wooden sticks A stick is a small, 9.
slender piece of wood
that is relatively narrow
and often elongated.
[Link] A narrow strip of 10.
material, as used to hold
or fasten something.
5. four plastic lids Plastic Lids may seem 11.
like a very simple tool.
It's a tool to prevent
contamination, prevent
accidents, and a way to
seal the freshness of
food items.
6. A balloon A small, thin rubber bag 12.
that you blow air into or
fill with a light gas until it
is round in shape, used
for decoration, as a
children's toy, or for other
purposes such as
medical treatment or
scientific research : We
tied balloons and
streamers to the ceiling
ready for the party.

Procedure (step by step):Ailin

Step 1: Clean out a plastic bottle.
Step 2:Cut two pieces of straws the width as your bottle
 Santa Maria Institute
Middle School Section 2024-2025​
Science Fair Project 2025
Step 3:Tape the straws to the side of the bottle.
Step 4:Cut two skewers down to make the axles.
Step 5:Slide the skewers into the straws.
Step6: Make some wheels.
Step 7: Attach the wheels.
Step 8: Poke an X-shape on the side of the bottle, just below the dome.
Step 9:Tape a balloon over the end of a straw.
Step 10: Feed the straw through the bottle.
Step 11: Use the car.

Variables: Santi
Controlled variables Our controlled variables are the distance that the car can be travel, the
model of the car.
Dependent variables Our Depent variables are: The distance the car travels depends on other factors
that we can control, such as the size of the balloon, the weight of the car or the
surface of the track.

Independent variables
Ball size: It affects the amount of air and the thrust it generates. More air in
the balloon generates more thrust. It determines the direction and force of
the movement.

Results (use charts, graphs, pictures, diagrams, etc.): Max

The car worked, it moved but not so fast since the balloon was not stable enough.

Conclusions: Miguel
 Santa Maria Institute
Middle School Section 2024-2025​
Science Fair Project 2025
The balloon car demonstrates key principles of physics: the potential energy of compressed air is converted to kinetic

energy upon release, propelling the car according to Newton's third law. In addition, the use of wheels and axles makes

.
it easier to move