It is well-known that a party balloon can be made to fly erratically across a room, but it can also be used for quantitative measurements of other aspects of aerodynamics. Since a balloon is light and has a large surface area, even relatively weak aerodynamic forces can be readily demonstrated or measured in the classroom. Accurate measurements can be made of drag and buoyant forces, and reasonable estimates can also be made of the Magnus force on a spinning balloon.
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http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/∼cross.
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© 2007 American Association of Physics Teachers.
2007
American Association of Physics Teachers
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