A step into science class: the balloon rocket experiment

When stepping into a science class, the unexpected is always part of the experience. This month was no exception for students in Edith Cowan College’s (ECC) Foundation Science class.

Delivered on Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) Joondalup Campus in Science Building 19, the class challenged students to investigate the physical phenomena behind a makeshift balloon rocket experiment. Although students begin their studies through ECC, learning in ECU’s university facilities means they are truly immersed in the university environment from day one.

The experiment was simple yet clever: a bright green balloon was taped to a drinking straw, with a length of fishing line threaded through the straw to guide its motion. Secured between two stable surfaces, the fishing line created a straight “track” for the rocket to travel along. Once inflated using a pump and released, the balloon raced along the line, and the investigation began.

Students tested how much air was needed to achieve the ideal distance, strategising together and adjusting variables to refine their results. The activity encouraged collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving, with students actively applying scientific concepts in a hands-on setting.