Andrik's Science Experiment
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Fatter Splatter
Which balloon will make the biggest splatter?
Experiment Photo
(click for really big photo)
By Andrik Powell - 4th Grade
1. Hypothesis
I thought that the closer to the ground the balloon was, the bigger the splatter would be. The reason I believed this was because the balloons closer to the ground would hit the ground harder.
2. Materials
These are the things I needed to do my experiment:
1. BALLOONS - for something to drop
2. WATER - to fill the balloons
 3. MEASURING TAPE - to measure the drop height and the splatter
 4. LADDER - for someplace to drop the balloons from
 5. BOWL - to hold the balloons
 6. CAMERA - to take picture of the procedure
 7. PENCIL AND PAPER - to write down the results

3. Variable
The variable for my experiment was using different heights to drop the balloons from. Using the measuring tape and a ladder we dropped the balloons from 5 different heights.
4. Control
The control for my experiment was keeping the size of the balloons the same. We filled up the balloons with water and measured them so they would be 13 inches around.

5. Procedure
These are the steps I took to do my experiment. We took pictures with our camera. Click here.
6. Results
First, we filled the balloon to 10 inches around and dropped them at 2 ft., 4 ft., 6 ft., 8 ft., and 12 ft. None of these balloons splattered, but bounced off the ground!

So we started again and filled new balloons to 13 inches around. We dropped the new size balloon from 4 ft. and it bounced. Then we got on the ladder and did 6 ft. and it finally splattered. We measured the biggest part of the wet area in the middle. At 6 ft. the splatter was 48 inches. At 8 ft. it measured 56 inches. Then we dropped from my bedroom window. At 12 ft. the splatter measured 58 inches. The last measured 62 inches from 15 ft. high. We threw the balloons left over at each other!
7. Conclusion
I was wrong about my hypothesis and I learned a couple of things.  The higher you drop a balloon, the more the splatter spreads.  This is because the balloon has more time to go faster to hit the ground harder.  By accident, I also learned that bigger balloons splatter more than smaller balloons.