Is it just me or when stores cleared their back to school items in late August then Halloween decorations were put in their place? Stores have wanted us to feel like it’s fall but it’s even hard for me to drink a pumpkin spice latte when it’s still 90°F outside.
I do LOVE the fall especially because my youngest has her birthday around Halloween so I always have my eyes peeled for cute party decor and Halloween games with a science twist of course!
I recently saw this experiment on Steve Spangler and thought what a great Halloween science activity! All you have to do is draw a cute little ghost on the balloon and you’ve got a real haunted house sound! And of course my youngest really got the hang of it!
What you need: a white balloon, a black permanent marker, and a hex nut
What you do:
- Place hex nut in balloon
- Blow up balloon and tie
- Draw a ghostly figure
- Twirl the balloon around until the hex nuts spin on the inside
Warning: Depending on the age of the hex nut it could cause the balloon to pop if it nicks the side. Supervise young kiddos when trying this at home.
What’s the science:
This experiment demonstrates centripetal force – the force that keeps the hex nut moving on a circular path. Other examples of centripetal force are satellites when they stay in orbit around the earth or when a hula hoop continues to spin around your body when you hula! The screeching sound is caused by the vibration of the balloon when the hex nut comes in contact with the latex.
For more fun Halloween experiments check out this blog’s header menu labeled ‘Halloween’. It has my favorite She Loves Science Halloween posts over the years!
I hope you are able to enjoy this experiment with cooler fall temperatures!
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