DIY: CD Hovercraft
TOOLS:
- Balloon
- CD or DVD
- Dishwasher bottle top (some sports drinks have the popup top too
PROCEDURE:
- Place a piece of tape over the center hole of the CD and poke a few small holes in the tape to regulate the amount of airflow
- Glue or otherwise attach the larger opening of the bottle top to the CD centered over the center hole.
- With the nozzle closed, blow up the balloon and fit it over the nozzle of the bottle top
- When ready, open the nozzle
THE SCIENCE:
As technology progresses, it may be harder and harder to test out this experiment. I could really date this experiment if I told you to find a laserdisc. In this DIY project, we are basically creating a hovercraft. The air from the balloon is forced out through the small holes in the tape to form a cushion of air underneath the CD. This allows the CD to hover and move nearly frictionless over the surface.