Science Box - Hovercraft

First things first - here is where I found the instructions for this experiment:

http://scribbit.blogspot.co.uk/2010/08/summer-kid-crafts-make-hovercraft.html




What you need:

An old CD/DVD
A sports cap from a plastic bottle
A balloon
Superglue

Step 1

Stick the bottle cap over the hole in the CD.  The instructions I read suggested that you use a 'pull up' cap, but I didn't have one of those. You want to seal around the base of the lid to the CD.

Step 2

Once the glue has set, blow up the balloon and place it over the cap.  This is where it might be easier if you did have a 'pull up' cap, as you could have the cap closed until you were ready.

I just pinched the base of the balloon to stop air escaping until I was ready to let go.


Step 3

Place the hovercraft onto a flat, solid surface - this isn't go to work on carpet.   Let go of the balloon, or open the cap.

Step 4

Watch as the escaping air pushes the CD around the floor.  

It is all over pretty quickly as you would expect and whilst amusing, the results may be a little disappointing.  My 6 year old will expect it to really fly around.  Perhaps I should buy a bigger balloon if this is going to make it into the Christmas Science Box - it will be on the 'maybe' list for now.