For centuries, performers have wowed crowds with various tricks involving Beds of Nails. People gasped, oohed and aahed as the daredevil would lay across hundreds of sharp steel tips.  How was their skin not punctured by the pressure of all those nails? It must be magic.  I'm sorry to tell you that the Bed of Nails is not an act of wizardry or magic. Instead, it's an act of science.  

 

To demonstrate the scientific principles behind the Bed of Nails, we've developed our own miniature version.  The Bed of Nails kit looks and performs just like its big brother, but without all the size.  Using the experiments found in the activity guide, try to pop one of the 11" balloons included in the kit.  You'll be surprised at just how hard it can be. When your done with the sturdy wooden Bed of Nails, it's extremely simple to break down and store safely.  That means that you don't have to worry about sharp objects being out in the open. 

 

The Bed of Nails kit is unlike anything you've ever seen and it's a one of a kind demonstration/experiment kit that you just can't miss out on.

Bed of Nails is a fantastic demonstration of how surface area and pressure are related and how the amount of force needed to pop the balloon varies.  For younger children, it's also a great way to show them that an initial hypothesis (that the balloon will pop easily because of the sharp nails) is not always correct.

Science Fair Connection:

Sure, the Bed of Nails kit is a great way to demonstrate surface area, pressure, and more. (Who doesn't like the moment the balloon goes POP!?!) While it's a great demonstration, the Bed of Nails needs to have a variable, or a factor that can be changed, before it makes a great science fair project. We give you a great example right in your activity guide:

• Try testing how many nails, or what patterns, you need to prevent a balloon from popping. Find a way to measure the different amounts of pressure needed to pop the balloon.