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Balloon Cars Challenge Worksheets
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Balloon Cars Challenge - Level 1
🎯 WALT: Explore how air can make things move using balloon cars
1. What happens when you let go of a blown-up balloon?
It stays still
It flies around
It gets bigger
2. What makes your balloon car move forward?
The wheels
The air pushing out
My hands
3. Draw your balloon car and label the balloon:
4. Circle the word that describes what air does to make the car move:
PUSHES PULLS STOPS
📏 Testing My Balloon Car
5. How far did your balloon car travel? Use a ruler to measure.
My car travelled _______ centimetres.
6. Did your car go in a straight line?
Yes, straight
No, it went sideways
It spun around
7. What did you see and hear when your balloon car moved?
8. Draw arrows to show which way the air comes out and which way the car moves:
🌟 Extension Activities (For Advanced Learners)
9. What other things move using air? Draw or write two examples:
10. If you made your balloon bigger, what do you think would happen to your car?
Balloon Cars Challenge - Level 2
🎯 WALT: Investigate how air pressure creates motion with balloon-powered cars
1. What is air pressure?
Air that is heavy
Air that is squashed and wants to escape
Air that is cold
2. Which parts help your balloon car move smoothly? (Tick all that apply)
Round wheels
Straight axles
Heavy weight
Smooth surface
3. Before testing, predict: Will a bigger balloon make your car go further?
My prediction: _________________________________
4. Draw a diagram of your balloon car design and label the axles and wheels:
📊 Data Recording
5. Record your balloon car test results:
| Test Number | Distance (cm) | Time (seconds) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | _______ | _______ |
| 2 | _______ | _______ |
| 3 | _______ | _______ |
6. Which test went the furthest? Why do you think this happened?
7. How does air pressure help your car move? Explain in your own words:
8. What would happen if you made the balloon opening smaller?
The car would go faster
The car would go slower but further
Nothing would change
🌟 Extension Activities
9. Design a new balloon car with different sized wheels. Draw your design and predict how it will perform:
10. Research one real vehicle that uses air pressure for movement and write about it:
Balloon Cars Challenge - Level 3
🎯 WALT: Explain propulsion using force, motion, and energy transfer principles
1. Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. How does this apply to balloon cars?
2. What type of energy is stored in an inflated balloon?
Kinetic energy
Potential energy
Heat energy
Light energy
3. Draw force arrows on this balloon car diagram to show:
• The direction of air escaping (red arrow)
• The direction of car movement (blue arrow)
• Friction force from the ground (green arrow)
4. Calculate the speed of your balloon car using the formula: Speed = Distance ÷ Time
📈 Data Analysis
5. Complete this data table for three trials:
| Trial | Distance (m) | Time (s) | Speed (m/s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | _______ | _______ | _______ |
| 2 | _______ | _______ | _______ |
| 3 | _______ | _______ | _______ |
| Average | _______ | _______ | _______ |
6. Explain how energy is transferred in your balloon car system:
7. What factors affect the efficiency of your balloon car's propulsion system?
8. Based on your data, suggest three improvements to increase your car's performance:
🌟 Extension Activities
9. Investigate how adding mass to your car affects its acceleration. Design an experiment and record your hypothesis:
10. Research and explain how jet engines use similar propulsion principles to balloon cars. Include real-world applications:
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