Floating Ball Experiment

Ever wondered if you could defy gravity in your own living room? With our DIY floating ball game, you’re about to find out! This isn't your typical craft project—it’s a cool way to experiment with air pressure and see science in action. Best part? It's super simple, and you probably already have everything you need at home.

Activity of the Day

Floating Ball Experiment

• A hands-on experiment that’s all about balancing air!

• Things You’ll You Need:

• A standard plastic straw

• One ping pong ball

• A piece of cardstock

• Scissors

• Tape

Step-by-step Process:

1. Cut the cardstock to create a circle with a slit cut to the center. Curl this into a cone around the top of the straw and secure it with tape. This cone is your air launcher.

2. Ensure the cone is snug but not too tight around the straw—air must escape upward to do its job.

3. Place the ping pong ball at the cone’s opening, take a deep breath, and blow into the straw. Adjust how hard you blow and the angle of the straw to get the ball to float effortlessly above the cone.

💡 Inspiration

Video tutorial similar to today’s activity (Link)

Blog post similar to today’s activity (Link)

Pro Tip:

Who says science can’t be competitive? Challenge your family members to see who can keep the ball floating the longest. Move the launcher around gently to test your skills and add a little movement to the mix.

You can also try this version!

Why we love this activity

This little setup creates a magic-like illusion that’s actually all science. Air flowing out of the straw reduces the air pressure directly under the ball, while higher pressure underneath keeps it floating. It's a neat demonstration of Bernoulli's Principle, which is used in much more complex applications like airplane flight.

Are you ready to give it a try? Grab those straws, cut that cardstock, and prepare to amaze everyone with your home-built levitator. Let’s get that ball in the air and keep it there!

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