STEM – Challenge accepted!

Well done to 5^th and 6^th Class pupils for taking on Mr. Dempsey’s STEM challenge to power a lego car using nothing but a balloon! The children learned that when you inflate a balloon it stores potential energy in the form of the stretched skin of the balloon and compressed air inside the balloon. When you let go of the balloon the stored energy is converted into kinetic energy (energy that involves movement). The famous scientist Isaac Newton said that “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Air is forced out of the end of the balloon, which means there must be an equal and opposite reaction pushing the car forward! Click on the video below to see the impressive results!