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Bernoulli Principle For Kids: Ping Pong Ball & Funnel Trick

by Science Explorers | May 20, 2021 | Blog | 0 comments

Bernoulli Principle For Kids: Ping Pong Ball & Funnel Trick

What can ping pong balls, straws and funnels teach kids about the reasons why planes and birds can fly? A lot, especially when they’re used as part of a Bernoulli Principle experiment!

As with all children’s introductions to the science world, the Bernoulli Principle is best taught hands-on. Many young people enjoy kinesthetic learning because it allows them to apply what’s being taught immediately. Plus, it’s just plain fun for both educators and learners.

Below is a ping pong ball science experiment for kids you can do at home or in your classroom. If you’re teaching students online, you can have your learners gather the easy-to-find materials for this experiment and follow the steps together. But first, you may want a refresher on the Bernoulli Principle and why it’s important.

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A Quick Background on Bernoulli’s Principle

Daniel Bernoulli was an 18th-century mathematician from Europe. Over his years of studying the dynamics of fluids, he discovered and named what has become known as the Bernoulli Principle. His principle, as outlined in his literary classic “Hydrodynamica,” explains that as the speed of a fluid passes over and around an item, it causes different pressures that affect the item. Fast speeds produce low pressures, whereas slow speeds produce higher pressures.

Because air is a type of fluid, Bernoulli’s Principle clarifies the basic reason why an eagle or sparrow stays in the air. As air rushes over and under the bird’s wings, the pressure on the wings changes. The faster the air passes across the wings, the more lift the bird will have. Lift allows the bird to soar and maintain flight.

Bringing Bernoulli’s Principle to Life With a Ping Pong Ball and Funnel Experiment

When you’re ready to start teaching your kids the Bernoulli Principle, gather the following materials for each child:

  • One ping pong ball
  • One bendable drinking straw

(Note: Though children can share ping pong balls, they should not share straws or un-sanitized funnels for hygienic reasons.)

Once everyone’s prepared, you can embark on two basic experiments.

First, ask the kids to bend their straws into an “L” shape and position the straw with the short part of the “L” pointing upward. They can then balance the ping pong ball onto the short part of the “L”.

Blowing into the straw firmly and continuously, the children should try to keep the ping pong ball in place. The faster and more consistently they blow, the easier it will be to avoid losing the ball. The ping pong ball will hover in the rushing air. This demonstrates how fast air puts pressure on the ball.

This is a terrific chance for you to ask your kids the following questions:

  • Why did the ping pong ball stay in place?
  • Were you surprised by anything that happened during your experiment with the Bernoulli Principle?
  • What do you predict would happen if you tried this with a heavier ball, like a golf ball?

After discussing what just happened, ask the kids to put the ping pong ball into the wide end of the funnel. As they did with the straw experiment, they should blow into the funnel from below. They will find that the ball does not move up. Instead, it remains trapped in the funnel because the air pressure around the ball (which is moving rapidly) is lower than the air pressure above the ball (which is coming from the static air in the room).

To follow up, initiate some conversation by asking:

  • What was the difference between the straw and funnel experiments?
  • Were you able to move the ping pong ball at all?
  • Did you try different ways of breathing into the funnel? If so, what was the result?
  • Can you think of other ways to test the principle?

Congratulations. You’ve introduced your learners to Bernoulli’s Principle!

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Ball in Funnel

A ping pong ball in a funnel

PIRA 2C20.35

This experiment uses an air supply for an air-track, a funnel modified with a cork to attach to the hose, and a ping-pong ball.

The ping-pong ball is put into the funnel. Because the neck of the funnel has a smaller cross-sectional area than the mouth of it, the air in neck of the funnel will have a higher velocity. The Bernoulli effect will cause the slower, higher pressure air in the mouth of the funnel to push the ping-pong ball to the narrow end of the funnel. The fast moving air in the neck of the funnel creates a region of sufficiently low pressure to hold the ping-pong ball in the funnel even when it is inverted.

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Bernoulli’s Principle: a Lesson or Two Made Out of Thin Air

A few weeks ago my daughter, a new fifth grade teacher, asked me to come into her school to present a hands-on science lesson on Bernoulli’s Principle.  Nothing delights me more than working with kids in a classroom.  After 16 years of teaching, it’s hard to be away from it.  At first I was unsure what I was going to bring in.  I have so many really neat activities at my disposal that it is difficult to select just one.  I finally narrowed it down to activities dealing with air pressure, which is part of their curriculum (always a plus!).

Bernoulli’s Principle Lesson: WindTube

I then pulled out another balloon, only longer and made from plastic rather than latex.  It was actually a WindTube ; our eight foot long Bernoulli bag!  My first question was, how many breaths would take to inflate the wind tube?  Guesses ranged from 50 to one million.  It was, after all, a group of ten year olds…  I bunched the end and brought the bag to my mouth.  I decided to put just 5 breaths into the bag, and then after pushing all the air down to the bottom of the windtube, we estimated how many additional breaths it would take to completely fill the bag.

One student in the class was selected to announce, on your mark, get set, and GO!  At that point I started faking the sound I would make if I were actually trying to inflate the bag, to fool my opponent into thinking I was working really hard.  After he had put about 6 breaths into his bag, I stood back and held my bag at arm’s length with the mouth of the tube wide open and blew a long steady stream of air into the opening of the bag.  Within seconds the entire tube was filled.  At this point all the kids in class began to giggle since the swim captain was turning red and still working relentlessly to inflate his bag.

Why did this happen?  According to Bernoulli, a fast moving column of air creates a decrease in air pressure.  Only a small percentage of the air in the bag came from my lungs.  The rest was drawn from the room.  As I increased the speed of the air I directed into the opening of the windtube, the pressure around it decreased and more air was drawn into the bag.

Bernoulli’s Principle Lesson: Funnel and Ping Pong Ball

Ok, so now the class totally understood the concept, and it was time for the next activity.  I gave each student a flex straw, a funnel, and some clear tape.  They were instructed to attach the narrow end of the funnel to the short end of the straw using the tape.  I assured them that the funnel and straw did not need to fit snugly.  The tape connected the two pieces kept any air from escaping. I asked the students to place their hand above the opening in the funnel, blow into the straw, and tell me what they felt.

As expected, the kids felt their breath exiting through the wide end of the funnel. Now, with their new-found knowledge of how fast moving air creates low pressure, I asked the students to predict what would happen if they put a ping pong ball into the opening of their funnel and then blew into the straw.  Each and every one of them predicted that the ball would be blown out of the funnel!  Some even went so far as to boast that their ping pong ball would hit the ceiling (of course they stipulated that they had to be standing rather than sitting at their desks).

Many times in my teaching career I wished I had brought a camera into my classroom.  That day was one of them!  When I counted to three, every face in the room turned red while they tried with all their might to blow that ping pong ball out of the funnel. Of course, the ping pong ball wasn’t going anywhere.  Bernoulli’s Theorem, also known as Bernoulli’s Principle, states that an increase in the speed of moving air (or any flowing fluid) is accompanied by a decrease in the air or fluid’s pressure.  The airflow around a ball or other curved object placed in an airstream will increase its speed.  When the air increases its speed its pressure decreases.  The low air pressure created around the ball allows the high pressure from above the ball to push the ball back into the funnel.

Bernoulli’s Principle: Straw, Toothpick, and Oak Tag

Ok, so after the students were able to explain this concept to me we moved onto the next activity.  Using the same straw, I gave them each two pieces of 1.5” x 1.5” oak tag and a toothpick.  One piece of oak tag was hole punched in the middle, and I instructed the students to attach the card to the short end of the straw so that the hole was flush with the end of the straw and it looked like a tabletop.

I asked them to secure the bottom of the card to the straw using tape. Next, I pushed a toothpick through the center of the second card and placed the two cards together with the toothpick protruding into the straw.  The next challenge…  What would happen when I blew through the straw?

Surely, after the last two demonstrations they would get this one.  Only one lone student hypothesized that the cards would remain together.  The others insisted that the cards would fly apart, but because of the toothpick the second card would fly straight up.  How I wanted to cringe. Needless to say, the class (well, all but one) was amazed that no matter how hard they exhaled into the straw, the cards remained together.  The only thing that was even more impressive was when I instructed the class to rotate their straws 180 degrees, while holding the second card in place, and to blow.

As they blew a steady stream of air into their straws I had them remove their hands.  Then the excitement became even more apparent as the cards still remained together!  Well, at least until they stopped blowing to try to get my attention.  By this point the kids were all able to explain that the card remained in place, defying gravity, because the decreased air pressure between the cards allowed the higher air pressure from within the room to force the cards together.

Bernoulli’s Principle: Hanging Ping Pong Balls Activity

The final activity involved the straw, two ping pong balls, a 12-inch piece of kite string and some tape.  Working in pairs, the students attached one ping pong ball to each side of the string with tape.  While one student held the string with the ping pong balls hanging approximately 1 cm apart, the second student blew a steady stream of air between the two.

As they had predicted, rather than moving apart, because of Bernoulli’s Principle, the spheres actually moved together!  Phew!  Though it took a little while, the concept was finally clear in their minds.  A fast moving column of air creates a low-pressure area and draws other objects in.

As I left the classroom, the students were trying to come up with other ways to demonstrate how Bernoulli’s principle could be demonstrated.  It just doesn’t get better than that!  Once I returned to the office, I realized that, though all the materials are fairly common, they not always found together.  So I put a kit together, and we now produce it at EI.  With the exception of the Windtube , the  Bernoulli’s Principle Class Kit has all the materials you will need to conduct the activities mentioned above with a class of 25 students.

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 25th, 2012 at 10:59 pm and is filed under Elementary level , experiments , Middle School level , Physics . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response , or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to Bernoulli’s Principle: a Lesson or Two Made Out of Thin Air

I love this! I’m going to try this with my adult learners. reading about Bernoulli’s principle just doesn’t cut it for everyone. Thanks a million. Rob

Hello. I was wondering what are two things that use Bernoulli’s Principle outside of classrooms. I need to know asap please. So can you email me when you get a chance.

This worked great with several different elementary school levels. The straw, toothpick and oak tag (or card stock) lesson was too tedious for the younger grades. They could not tape the piece of card stock with the hole in it flush with the top of the straw, so it wouldn’t work. Also, beware of safety issues with flying toothpicks! I used goggles.

Thanks for writing! I’m happy to hear that you were able to use this activity with students. I do love air pressure experiments. It’s always fun to watch the kids as they discover some things that they didn’t expect to see. I certainly agree, Goggles are always a good idea! As with any activity, you have to watch carefully that all items are being used properly. ~Tami Educational Innovations

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SIMPLE Bernoulli Principle Experiment for Kids

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bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

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This simple  bernoulli experiment  will allow kids of all ages to understand how faster air meas less pressure and allows an object to fly.With just a piece of paper and straw children can make a ping pong ball float to understand about  air pressure for kids . Try this  Bernoulli principle experiment with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too.  Try this fun physics experiment in just 5-10 minutes for an easy  science experiment for kids !

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Bernoulli’s principle for kids.

Have you ever wondered how do birds and airplanes fly when they are much heavier than air? You’ve probably figured out that their  wings are  involved somehow….. Well back in 1738 a mathematician and scientist named Daniel Bernoulli studied this phenomenon and discovered that as air moves around an object, it creates different pressures on that object. Faster air means less pressure, and slower air means more pressure. Now we can use the Bernoulli principle for kids to understand why birds, airplanes, and in this experiment – our ping pong ball can fly.  In this  bernoulli experiment , children will create a  floating ping pong ball by using Bernoulli’s principle! This  air pressure experiment  only takes a couple minutes, but is a fun and memorable  science experiment to help kids understand this fascinating concept. Try this  bernoulli principle experiment  with preschoolers, kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 students.

physics experiment for kids

Bernoulli’s principle experiment at home

To try this  physics experiment for kids on energy you only need a couple simple materials:

  • construction paper (any color)
  • bendy straw
  • ping pong ball

easy science experiment

Bernoulli’s principle experiment

The technique for this  energy experiment is simple, children trace a circle about 6″ in diameter on their piece of colored paper.

Bernoulli Principle Experiment

Physics experiments for kids

Then students will carefully use scissors to cut out the circle.

Air Pressure Experiment

Floating ping pong ball

Next, cut the radius. If you recall from math class, the radius is the straight line from the center of the circle to the outside of the circle.

Science for Kids

Air Pressure Experiment

pull the two sides of paper around the radius so they overlap and tape into place to make a cone.

Floating ping pong ball

Bernoulli’s principle experiments

Insert the smaller part of the bendy straw into the bottom of your paper cone. Securely tape in place so there are no gaps for air to escape.

This simple bernoulli experiment will allow kids of all ages to understand how faster air meas less pressure and allows an object to fly.With just a piece of paper and straw children can make a ping pong ball float to understand about air pressure for kids. Try this Bernoulli principle experiment with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too.  Try this fun physics experiment in just 5-10 minutes for an easy science experiment for kids!

Bernoulli principle for kids

Put ping pon ball in over the paper cone you created with one hand and in the other blow a constant, staed stream of air to make the ball levitate. Allow kids time to continue making the ping pong ball float as they experiment with air flow and air pressure to make the ball fly.

NOTE: This only works if you blow hard enough so that there is a steady fast stream of air around the ball. If you blow slowly, then the pressure goes back up and the ball falls.

Science for Kids

Once kids have had a chance to experince  Bernoulli’s principle first-hand in this EASY floating ball experiment, it’s time to explain they why . Basically in this simple science project we created an area of low pressure around the ball by blowing into the straw. When you blow in a fast thin stream (because directs the straw focuses the air to make it thin), the fast air is able to move around the sides of the ball instead of simply pushing it upward from below. If you observe the ball closely as it levitates in the air, you will see that it wobbles in the low-pressure area. The ball is trying to escape the low-pressure air. The high-pressure air does not allow the ball to escape and pushes the ball back into the low-pressure area.

bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

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2C20.35 Funnel and Ball

Bernoulli's principle

A ball is placed in a funnel and the funnel is connected to a reversed vacuum cleaner that provides a continuous supply of air. As the air flows out out of the funnel at a high velocity, the pressure difference created by Bernoulli effects keep the ball from being blown out of the funnel. Using the same idea, when a ping pong ball is placed in the smaller funnel, the low pressure created by the high velocity air going around the ball will keep it in the funnel, even when held upside down.

bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

  • [1] Reversed vacuum cleaner
  • [1] Large plastic funnel
  • [1] Small glass funnel
  • [1] Small air hose
  • [1] Medium-sized ball
  • [1] Ping pong ball

Classroom Assembly

  • Connect the reversed vacuum to a power source or connect the hose and the glass funnel to an air supply.

Important Notes

  • Ensure demo will not be place beneath low-hanging lights or low ceiling

For a large class, this demo can be done with the plastic funnel and vacuum. For a small class, the glass funnel with air supply can be used. Substitute the appropriate apparatus in the instructions.

  • Place a medium-sized ball on top of the vacuum cleaner.
  • Turn on the vacuum. Notice that the ball is floating in the air.
  • Turn off the vacuum.
  • Attach a funnel to the output of the reversed vacuum.
  • Turn on the vacuum.
  • Place the same ball just above the funnel. The ball should float in the air, as before.
  • Place the same ball in the funnel.
  • Turn on the vacuum. Notice that the ball is not floating in the air. Counterintuitively, it is held inside the funnel by the upward stream of air.
  • Place the same ball on the table.
  • Cover it with the upside-down funnel that is connected to the vacuum.
  • Raise the funnel. Notice the ball is held inside the funnel and is supported by air streaming out of an upside-down funnel.

Additional Resources

  • PIRA 2C20.35
  • Don't attempt this at home!

Last revised

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Bernoulli Demonstrations

Separate experiments and demonstrations which involve the Bernoulli effect.

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Magic Floating Balls - Bernoulli's Principle and the Coanda Effect Explained

I spent several weeks exploring different ways to get balls to float on a stream of air. The goal was to find ways to show Bernoulli's Principle and the Coanda Effect in action. Now, the Floating Balls demonstration is an important piece of my presentations at schools were I engage kids with "The Magic of Science". Let's first explore the demonstrations and then we will look at the science behind the "Magic Floating Balls"!

How to Make Magic Floating Balls

Balls: Inflatable Beach Ball , Ping Pong Balls , Nerf Balls , and more

Blower: Leaf Blower , Hair Dryer , Air compressor

Fog (optional): Fog Machine , Fog Juice

Description

Note: Because this is a physics demonstration (see explanations below), you must understand that the force of the air moving upward must overcome the force of gravity pulling the ball downward - this means you will have to find a ball and a blower that are a good match.

Point the stream of air (leaf blower, hair dryer, etc) upward and gently place a ball into the stream of air. The ball should hover (as long as it is the right size and weight for the stream of air you are using). Then tilt the stream of air from side to side to model Bernoulli's Principle and the Coanda Effect.

Demonstrating Bernoulli's Principle and the Coanda Effect with a straw and ping pong ball

Explanation of the Magic Floating Balls Demonstration

This demonstration has a lot of simple and complex physics concepts. First we need to understand forces. The stream of air (we will call this our "jet") provides a force on the ball. The direction of the force depends on what direction the jet is facing. If we face the jet upwards, the force "pushes" the ball upward. Gravity is also acting upon the ball and it provides a force that pulls the ball downward (toward the earth). When these two opposing forces are equal, the ball hovers in the jet of air. But, why doesn't the ball just fall off to the side of the jet and then fall to the earth? Let's start with Bernoulli's Principle.

Learn about physics with the Floating Balls Demonstration at BealsScience.com

What is Bernoulli's Principle?

Bernoulli's Principle states that an increase in the speed of a fluid (in this case a jet of air) causes a decrease in the pressure of the air. And because air flows from areas of high pressure toward areas of low pressure, you end up with some interesting pressure dynamics around the ball.

Let's think about our spherical ball. As the air hits the ball, aerodynamics cause the air to move around the outside of the ball. As it does, the space where the air is moving right next to the ball is constricted (there is less space for it to move) This constriction on all sides forces the air to move at a different speed (it speeds up slightly) than the air around the ball that is not directly touching the ball. This increase of speed causes an area of low pressure all around the outside of the ball. This even pressure around the outside of the ball holds the ball in place - it 'holds' it in the jet of air. But, Bernoulli's Principle does not explain the whole story. In order to fully understand what is happening, we must understand the Coanda Effect. ( More info )

What is the Coanda Effect?

The Coanda Effect explains that a jet of fluid (in our case a jet of air) has a tendency to stay attached to a convex surface (our ball is a convex object). This physics principle helps us understand why the ball stays in the jet of air. If you watch the video carefully you will see that the balls wobble in the jet. This is caused by a lot of external factors (wind, movement of the blower, momentum, etc). As the ball starts to move out of the jet, the Coanda Effect explains that the jet of air on all sides 'adheres' to the ball, thus pulling it back into the center of the jet.

The Coanda Effect is best modeled when the jet is held at an angle and the ball stays in the jet. The fast moving air "sticks" to the ball and holds it in place in the lower pressure zone of air! ( More info )

Demonstrating the physics of flight at BealsScience.com

Bernoulli's Principle and the Coanda Effect are both explanations that help us understand how airplanes fly. Because an airplane is moving quickly through the air the same principles apply because if we were sitting in the plane we could pretend we were sitting still and the air is moving quickly past the airplane (Newton's Theory of Relativity). As the plane moves through this steam of air, the pressure near the wings changes (Bernoulli's Principle) and the wings stick to the fast moving air to keep the plane in the air (Coanda Effect).

This is how we get a magic floating ball!

But, now we know that it isn't actually magic that is keeping it afloat, it is the principles of science!

Keep on Learning! Craig Beals

bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

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What is the Bernoulli Principle?

April 29, 2013 By Emma Vanstone 3 Comments

This experiment is a super easy air pressure activity to demonstrate the  Bernoulli Principle .

What is Bernoulli’s principle?

Bernoulli’s principle states that the pressure of a fluid decreases as its velocity increases.

Bernoulli Principle Demonstration

What you need:.

A large empty water bottle bottle

A rolled-up ball of paper, small enough to sit inside the mouth of the bottle.

Plastic bottle and a ball of paper to demonstrate Bernoullis Principle

How to demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle with a bottle and paper

Place the bottle on the edge of a table and put the ball of paper inside.

Try to blow the paper into the bottle.

The ball will wiggle around and shoot back out towards you.

What’s happening?

One of the principles that help to keep aeroplanes in the sky also applies to this neat little experiment. The key point is that moving air is at a lower pressure than still air. This is the Bernoulli Principle .

In the case of the water bottle, you can’t blow any more air into the bottle as it is already full of air!

When you try to blow into the bottle, the air is deflected around the sides (very little moves past the piece of paper). This means that the air pressure in front of the ball of paper is lower than behind, and so the paper flies out.

Aeroplane wings are specially shaped so that air travels faster over the top of the wing than over the bottom surface. Again, the pressure is lower above than below, and the wing is “pushed” upward by the higher-pressure air – called lift. The faster the plane moves forward, the bigger the lift it experiences.

Diagram of the Bernoulli Principle showing air flow over wings and areas of high and low pressure.

Who was Daniel Bernoulli?

Daniel Bernoulli ( 1700-1782 ) was a brilliant Swiss mathematician and physicist who was born in the Netherlands and later moved to Switzerland. Daniel came from a family of scientists. His father, Johann, was an early developer of calculus, and his uncle Jacob made valuable contributions to the theory of probability .

Daniel Bernoulli’s major contributions to science include working on the kinetic theory of gases, measurement of risk and The Bernoulli Effect .

More about air pressure

Use air pressure to make an egg drop into a jar .

Make your own bottle rocket .

Find out how to measure atmospheric air pressure by making a barometer .

Last Updated on June 20, 2023 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

Reader Interactions

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May 01, 2013 at 1:29 pm

This looks like so much fun. I can see why your son was in fits of giggles. I’m going to try this with my son tomorrow. We’ve been doing lots of science experiments lately and he’s going to love this one. Thanks.

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February 23, 2014 at 10:00 am

good and short experiment

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January 10, 2017 at 4:52 am

So, I waited until almost midnight the night before I was to do an experiment about air pressure with my kids, only to find I had none of the stuff required. Thank you for saving my bacon!

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Cool Science Experiments Headquarters

Making Science Fun, Easy to Teach and Exciting to Learn!

Science Experiments

Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

This quick experiment only takes a few minutes to set-up, but will probably leave your kids giggling with excitement. Explore Bernoulli’s Principle and have a great time doing it!

We’ve included printable instructions and a demonstration video as well as a scientific explanation of “why it works.”

Note: The air from the hairdryer in this experiment can get hot, so as with every experiment, please use caution as needed.

Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

JUMP TO SECTION:   Instructions  |  Video Tutorial  |  How it Works | Purchase Lab Kit

Supplies Needed

  • Ping Pong Balls

Floating Ping Pong Ball Lab Kit – Only $5

bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

Use our easy Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Lab Kit to grab your students’ attention without the stress of planning!

It’s everything you need to  make science easy for teachers and fun for students  — using inexpensive materials you probably already have in your storage closet!

Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment Instructions

bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

Step 1 – Take a hairdryer and point it up towards the ceiling and turn it on high speed. Important Note: Always use caution when using the dryer because the blowing air can get hot. If possible, use the cold air setting on the hair dryer.

bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

Step 2 – Place a ping pong ball in the blowing air of the hairdryer and watch it float.

Step 3 – See if you can get two ping pong balls to float at the same time. What about three? Do you think you could get a baseball to float? What about a balloon? There are so many different objects and observations you can make.

Do you know the why you were able to get the ping pong ball to float? Find out the answer in the how does this experiment work section below.

Video Tutorial

How Does the Science Experiment Work

The floating ping pong ball experiment is a great example of Bernoulli’s Principle. Bernoulli was a Swiss scientist who, in the 1700s, discovered that the pressure of a moving fluid (air or water) is different from the pressure of a fluid (air or water) at rest. Bernoulli’s Principle states that the faster air moves, the less pressure the air exerts.

The ping pong ball will fly up from the hairdryer until it reaches a point that the force of gravity pushing down on the ball is equal to the force of the air pushing up on the ball. The air coming from the hairdryer is moving much faster than the air around it. Because the air is moving faster, it has less pressure than the air around it. The ping pong ball stays within the column of low-pressure air because of the high pressure surrounding it.

More Science Fun

Enhance the learning and the fun but attempting to make other objects float. Can you get multiple ping pong balls to float at the same time? Do you think you could get a baseball to float? What about a balloon? There are so many different objects and observations you can make.

I hope you enjoyed the experiment. Here are some printable instructions:

Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

Instructions

  • Take a hairdryer and point it up towards the ceiling and turn it on high speed. Important Note: Always use caution when using the dryer because the blowing air can get hot. If possible, use the cold air setting on the hair dryer.
  • Place a ping pong ball in the blowing air of the hairdryer and watch it float.
  • See if you can get two ping pong balls to float at the same time. What about three? Do you think you could get a baseball to float? What about a balloon? There are so many different objects and observations you can make.

Floating Ping Pong Ball Experiment Steps

Reader Interactions

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January 22, 2018 at 10:47 am

This really helped me in my project… thanks For this floating ball ⚽️

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April 4, 2022 at 9:11 pm

Yes of course it is also help in my experiment conclusion which is in experiment book .

Thank you for your support and conclusion

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bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

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Siphon Experiment: Testing Bernouilli’s Principle

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Introduction: Siphon Experiment: Testing Bernouilli’s Principle

Siphon Experiment: Testing Bernouilli’s Principle

For my Science course this year, we were required to do a science fair experiment, complete with a poster board and research paper. I was chosen by my school to become a Broadcom MASTERS National Science Fair Nominee. I will be sharing the highlights of the process, and I hope to be able to inform the reader on how to successful go through the research and experimenting process, and more specifically, to inform the reader on my topic: Siphons.

  • Tubing .00365m (.25inch) [inner diameter]
  • Large Pipette
  • Green coloring
  • Bowl and pitcher
  • Hot glue gun w/ glue
  • 1 cup, ½ cup, measuring cups
  • Window ducting unit
  • Laptop 
  • Custom 3D models
  • 3D printer + Filament
  • Stool, cookie sheet, oven shelf (base)
  • Wooden Plank
  • Stopwatch + camera (phone)

(the bolded materials are ones that are actively used in the experiment, the rest are setup.)

Step 1: Research

Research

For the first part of my science fair, I wrote a research paper on my topic. I condensed my research into the essentials for my poster, and that is what I will be sharing in the text here. I will attach images of my paper in case anyone wants a more in depth overview of the subject.

  • A siphon is a reservoir of liquid connected to another reservoir at a lower point by an inverted “U” shape.
  • Once the water reaches the highest point , the siphon flow will continue.
  • This allows water to flow over an edge without any energy input.
  • The most popular uses of a siphon are to empty above ground pools , as it can get water out easily, and as the flushing mechanism in some toilets.
  • Siphons work due to a mixture of gravity and pressure. As the liquid drains down one arm, a partial vacuum is created at the top , and water is pushed up the other arm to fill it. This creates a continuous cycle and flow of water.
  • Siphons are hypothesized to work in accordance with Bernoulli’s principle which states that the less pressure there is within liquid flow, the faster the flow will be.

Step 2: Variables, Hypothesis, and Aim of Experiment

The reason that I chose this experiment is because I wanted to test for myself whether siphons actually worked with the Bernoulli Principle as theorized. If the height difference is increased, the length of the section going downwards is increased as well. With that, because a siphon starts with water filling it, there will be more water being pulled downwards through a larger section, creating less pressure at the top. If Bernoulli’s principle is at play here, this should cause the siphon to go faster. Because it is the hypothesis of leading scientists, I decided to side with them and make my hypothesis that it would be used.

Independent Variable : The height difference between the two openings of the siphon.

Dependent Variable : The speed of the water

Hypothesis:

The greater the distance between the two siphons, the faster the speed will be.

Step 3: Setup

Setup

Here is my complete setup as I wrote it in my lab write-up. In the diagram you can see what the final product looks like.

  • 3D print all parts needed
  • Tape the oven shelf to the cookie tray, and tape the cookie tray to the stool.
  • Tape window ducting to cabinet side.
  • Put stool against window ducting.
  • Tape one cup to the oven shelf.
  • Attach the other cup to the 3D printed holder, slide into the window ducting.
  • Unroll tubing, tape onto a flat piece of wood.
  • Run a blow dryer slowly over the tubing, heating it up.
  • Wait for the tubing to dry and remove the tape. (The tubing should not be bent)
  • Put the 3D printed cup-to-tube attachment over the top cup and insert one end of the tubing. Hot glue the tubing to the attachment for added security.
  • Insert the funnel into the other end of the tubing.
  • Put the 3D printed funnel-to-tubing attachment onto the bottom cup.
  • Fill the bowl with water and add a couple drops of green food coloring.
  • Rest the phone above the window ducting on the cabinet to view down into the top cup.

Step 4: Procedure

Procedure

Here is a shortened procedure to make it simpler and easier to understand. In the images you can see the second step and the fourth step.

  • Measure .0254m (1 inch) from bottom opening, move top cup and opening there.
  • Fill the pitcher with 355ml (1.5 cups) of water and pour into the top cup.
  • Start recording on the phone.
  • Slide the funnel out , hold it in one hand and hold pipette with the other.
  • Squeeze the pipette and release, put the funnel back quickly. (Water flow starts)
  • Once water stops, end recording. Import video into an editing app and record time of flow to three significant figures.
  • Repeat steps 1-6 twice more (3 trials)
  • Repeat steps 1-7 four more times, replacing the 1 inch height in the first step with 3, 5, 7, and 9, inches (heights)

Step 5: Data + Results

Data + Results

In the images you can see the whole process of simplifying the data and the final data graphed. My raw data was in seconds, which I then averaged out. I divided the amount of water I had in meters cubed by seconds to get the flow rate. I divided that by the cross-sectional area — the area of the opening of the tube — which was in meters squared to cancel out and leave me with meters over seconds, or speed. When graphed it shows little deviation from a linear trend line.

Step 6: Analysis

  • The greater the difference between the two openings, the greater the speed.
  • There is a linear relationship.
  • In agreement with Bernoulli Principle.
  • When calculated with Bernoulli's Principle, the results are 2-3 times too low .
  • Could be due to friction or non-steady flow (not used in the equation), or experimental errors.

Step 7: Conclusion

  • Linear relationship , a greater height difference leads to a greater speed.
  • Trend in accordance with Bernouilli’s principle and modern siphon theory.
  • Not as many different heights or trials as needed for conclusive results.
  • Experimental errors and forces unaccounted for led to deviation from predicted results.
  • In the future , different diameter hoses , different amounts of water , different height differences , could be used and contrasted with predicted results to see if the ratio between the predicted and gotten results are the same, or if the deviation was due to unpredictable experimental errors.

As you can see, Bernoulli’s principle was shown to work in speed testing of siphons. However, this experiment was on a small scale and by no means conclusive of whether or not the Bernoulli principle is being used. In the future, I would do this on a larger scale and try to investigate why I got such large deviation from calculated results using the formula.

Step 8: After the Experiment

After the Experiment

After the experiment I condensed my data and created a poster board which you can see in the image. In the middle, the shape of a siphon is shown, along with the setup. The image in the center section is of how a siphon can be used to regulate water level in a lake, which I found helpful for understanding how a siphon can be applied in the real world at a larger scale. I presented the data to my class and whole school at a science fair event, and I was chosen to become a Broadcom MASTERS National Science Fair Nominee. Overall I am happy with the results of the project and would like to continue this type of research in the future.

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Participated in the Science Fair Challenge

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IMAGES

  1. Bernoulli’s principle

    bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

  2. Diagram of the Bernoulli principle shows that as fluid flows from a

    bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

  3. Bernoulli's Principle: Ping-pong Ball and Funnel

    bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

  4. Bernoulli’s Principle For Kids

    bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

  5. Bernoulli principle.mpg

    bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

  6. Bernoulli's principle (sort of), illustrated by a Lennard-Jones gas moving through a funnel

    bernoulli's principle funnel experiment

VIDEO

  1. Funnel Bernoulli

  2. Bernoulli's principle

  3. Bernoulli's Principle

  4. Bernoulli's Principle #science #tricks

  5. How do you show Bernoulli's Principle?#shorts

  6. Bernoulli's principle 🔥🔥 #experiment #scienceexperimentfacts #science #mrindianhacker #physics

COMMENTS

  1. Bernoulli Principle For Kids: Ping Pong Ball & Funnel Trick

    Because air is a type of fluid, Bernoulli's Principle clarifies the basic reason why an eagle or sparrow stays in the air. As air rushes over and under the bird's wings, the pressure on the wings changes. The faster the air passes across the wings, the more lift the bird will have. Lift allows the bird to soar and maintain flight.

  2. Ball in Funnel

    This experiment uses an air supply for an air-track, a funnel modified with a cork to attach to the hose, and a ping-pong ball. The ping-pong ball is put into the funnel. Because the neck of the funnel has a smaller cross-sectional area than the mouth of it, the air in neck of the funnel will have a higher velocity. The Bernoulli effect will ...

  3. Defy Gravity! Upside Down Ping Pong Ball

    Explore LearningMedia Resources by Subject. Two ZOOM cast members prevent a ping pong ball in an upside down funnel from falling out without touching the ball. How do they do it? They blow down through the funnel onto the ball. Bernoulli's principle, a fundamental principle of fluid dynamics, explains why this gravity-defying -- and logic ...

  4. Bernoulli's Principle: a Lesson or Two Made Out of Thin Air

    Bernoulli's Principle Lesson: Funnel and Ping Pong Ball. Ok, so now the class totally understood the concept, and it was time for the next activity. I gave each student a flex straw, a funnel, and some clear tape. They were instructed to attach the narrow end of the funnel to the short end of the straw using the tape.

  5. Experiment No 1: Bernoulli's Principle (Table Tennis Ball and Funnel

    Bernoulli's Principle: as the speed of air increases, the pressure of that air decreases.When you blow through the funnel, a current of fast moving air is cr...

  6. PDF Introduction to Bernoulli's Principle

    Funnel Paper Clip Extra Straw to use in the cup Water Lit candle Scissors Cups Large can Background Information: Bernoulli's principle tells us that air that is moving at high speed has lower pressure than still air. The air moves around the ball to create a pocket around the ball of low pressure air. Procedures:

  7. Balloon Magic with Bernoulli's Principle

    Bernoulli's principle can also explain how lift is generated under an airplane wing. Airplane wings are designed to let the air flowing over the top move faster than the air flowing underneath. According to Bernoulli, this creates a pressure difference in which the pressure on the surface of the wing is lower than below.

  8. Bernoulli's Principle: Ping-pong Ball and Funnel

    A project activity for Hydraulics...Music:Alumo - That Positive FeelingSmosh - Food Battle ThemeAnimation:A Moment of Science - Funnel Fun

  9. Bernoulli's Principle Ping-Pong Ball Air Pressure Science Experiment

    Try this outrageously fun ping pong ball air pressure experiment that will demonstrate Bernoulli's Principle for kids. This ping pong ball science experiment is perfect for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade,a nd 6th grade students. All you need for this ping pong ball funnel air pressure are a couple common household items.

  10. Bernoulli's Principle Experiment for Kids

    The Bernoulli Principal tells us that moving fluids- like gasses or liquids- have lower pressure than fluids that are not moving. When you turn the hair dryer on, you are creating a column of moving air, which has a lower pressure than the air around it. When the ball starts to move out of that column, the high-pressure air outside the column ...

  11. SIMPLE Bernoulli Principle Experiment for Kids

    This simple bernoulli experiment will allow kids of all ages to understand how faster air meas less pressure and allows an object to fly.With just a piece of paper and straw children can make a ping pong ball float to understand about air pressure for kids.Try this Bernoulli principle experiment with preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and ...

  12. 2C20.35 Funnel and Ball

    Bernoulli's principle. Overview. A ball is placed in a funnel and the funnel is connected to a reversed vacuum cleaner that provides a continuous supply of air. As the air flows out out of the funnel at a high velocity, the pressure difference created by Bernoulli effects keep the ball from being blown out of the funnel. Using the same idea ...

  13. Bernoulli Demonstrations

    This is known as the Bernoulli principle and there are a few experiments and demonstrations that can be conducted in schools to demonstrate it. Experiment one. ... Experiment two. A large funnel and table tennis ball are required for this demonstration. The ball is placed into the funnel and the mouth of the funnel is placed to your lips.

  14. Bernoulli's Principle Experiment

    According to Bernoulli's principle, as velocity of a fluid increases, pressure decreases. So, when you blew underneath the tent, you increased the velocity of the air.

  15. BBC

    The behaviour of gases and liquids. Bernoulli's principle is a description of how gases and liquids (fluids) behave. It says that within a stream of fluid, pressure goes down at the same time as ...

  16. PDF Bernoulli's Principle. Grades 5-8.

    Bernoulli's Principle. Lesson Overview. In this inquiry-based lesson, students will will learn about energy transfer as well as motions and forces . as they engage in a series of five experiments, each of which will demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle. The students will discuss the role of the Bernoulli Principle

  17. Floating Ball Experiment: Bernoulli's Principle for Kids

    6. Bend the straw so it's 90 degrees and place the ball inside the cone. Blow into the long end of the straw. At first, your kids will probably have trouble controlling their breath and lifting the ball. After some practice, your kids will learn that a steady supply of air is the key to keep the ball floating in mid-air.

  18. Floating Ping Pong Ball (Bernoulli's Principle)

    The floating ping pong ball experiment is a great example of Bernoulli's Principle. Bernoulli was a Swiss scientist who, in the 1700s, discovered that the pressure of a moving fluid (air or water) is different from the pressure of a fluid (air or water) at rest. Bernoulli's Principle states that the faster air moves, the less pressure the ...

  19. Magic Floating Balls

    The Coanda Effect explains that a jet of fluid (in our case a jet of air) has a tendency to stay attached to a convex surface (our ball is a convex object). This physics principle helps us understand why the ball stays in the jet of air. If you watch the video carefully you will see that the balls wobble in the jet.

  20. Air Pressure Experiments for Kids

    These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely. Easy air pressure experiment using just an old squash bottle and a rolled up ball of paper to demonstrate the Bernoulli Principle.

  21. Floating Ping Pong Ball Science Experiment

    The floating ping pong ball experiment is a great example of Bernoulli's Principle. Bernoulli was a Swiss scientist who, in the 1700s, discovered that the pressure of a moving fluid (air or water) is different from the pressure of a fluid (air or water) at rest. Bernoulli's Principle states that the faster air moves, the less pressure the ...

  22. bbwsci

    The wing should rise up. This shows how Bernoulli's principle applies to wings and flight. The Ball and Funnel Challenge ; Materials: Ping-Pong balls, a few large funnels ; Experiment: Let the scouts know that it is time to have a little contest--you are going to see who can blow a Ping-Pong ball out of a funnel the easiest.

  23. Siphon Experiment: Testing Bernouilli's Principle

    Measure .0254m (1 inch) from bottom opening, move top cup and opening there. Fillthe pitcher with 355ml (1.5 cups) of water and pourinto the top cup. Startrecording on the phone. Slidethe funnel out, hold it in one hand and hold pipette with the other. Squeeze the pipette and release, put the funnel back quickly.