Instructional Video

How to Float a Ping Pong Ball on Air - the Coandă Effect

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

If floating were easy, everyone would do it! How does the Coanda Effect work? A video from a fascinating physics playlist shows how balanced upward and downward forces float a ping pong ball in a stream of air.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Perform the demonstration live and have pupils create their own explanations; watch the video and have them check their work
  • Provide a few hair dryers and let the class try to float a ping pong ball themselves
Classroom Considerations
  • Be sure to cover forces, inertia, and viscosity before introducing the Coanda Effect
  • This video is hosted on YouTube
Pros
  • The narrator explains the phenomenon clearly
  • Force diagrams show the forces acting on the ball throughout the demonstration
Cons
  • None
Common Core