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Clear Balloons

Clear balloons to use for the Spinning Penny experiment and more!

  • Clear Balloons
    Item #: WSPB-500

    $17.99 In Stock

Usually ships out the next day.

Sturdy, clear balloons to use for the Spinning Penny experiment or fill the balloon with Styrofoam beads to make a static electricity detector! Contains 100 clear latex balloons, so plan to get a huge crowd of your students together and start spinning! The kids will love it, and they'll learn some important science principles at the same time. We'll throw in the Spinning Penny Activity Guide as a bonus... you provide the pennies. Recommended for children ages 6 and up.

What's included?

  • 100 High quality clear balloons
  • Activity guide

How does it work?

Hold the balloon with two hands and make a swirling motion. Thanks to the laws of inertia and centripetal motion, the penny flips up on edge and spins around the inside of the balloon just like that motorcycle guy at the circus. It's science and it's amazing!

What does it teach?

The spinning penny science experiment is great to introduce kids to the laws of motion, inertia and force. When an object spins, a force is created which pulls the object outward, just as when you ride on a merry-go-round and feel yourself pulled toward the edge. Besides being pulled outward, as the penny spins, it pushes against the side of the balloon. At the same time, the balloon pushes back. This causes the penny to spin and move in a circular path.

Screaming balloons

Judy    -  September 11, 2011

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This user gave 3/5 stars


Students love the screaming ballooon. We use the clear balloons frequently in our afterschool and school programs but always seem to find a handful that don't want to retain air very long. Appear to have tiny pin holes in them. Our local party stores do not carry clear balloons so we are glad that you stock them. It would be neat if you also carried large (3 ft.) clean balloons. Used one with a number of hex nuts as a demo before having the students do it, and they were very excited!

Clear balloons - screaming balloons

Kara Cruse    -  July 28, 2011

1 2 3 4 5
This user gave 3/5 stars


I purchased 200 for a science camp for 135 children and so many popped or lost air right away that we ran out. Not cool!

Mrs. Russell

Joyce Russell    -  November 16, 2010

1 2 3 4 5
This user gave 3/5 stars


Well, they are clear and that makes it nice to be able to see through, however; from the package of 100 I have had at least 25 of them pop when my "scientist put the balloon down, dropped it with the spinning penny inside, or just while holding the balloon. I wonder if the balloon is thinner for it to be clear. I also had a few with tiny pinholes in them and at least 12 that didn't hold air for more than 8 minutes.

clear balloons

Deb Leedom    -  March 18, 2010

1 2 3 4 5
This user gave 3/5 stars


I was excited to find that clear balloons were available for purchase online, as I was having difficulty finding any locally. Our physical science class performed the centripetal force penny experiment, as well as the skewer- through-the-balloon demonstration. The students loved the experiments, but were visibly disappointed when many of their balloons failed to hold air throughout the 45 minutes of balloon-time. Several balloons had small visible holes and were losing air before being tied. But the point of the experiment was clearly understood in a fun hands-on way-which we love!!! Thanks!

Deb-
Thank you for the feedback.  We are looking into the problem that you had with the balloons.  We hope to find the source and fix it ASAP.
-Spangler Science Customer Service Team

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