Blow to Make the Soda Can Jump

The Soda Can Jump is a super simple and easy science activity with only an empty soda can and a mug. You will find that you can fly a soda can by just give is a blow.

Age: 3+          Time: <10min

 Safety 

1. Be careful, the empty soda can may jump, hitting on your face.
2. Be careful with the fragile beaker.

 Materials List 

• Soda cans
• Beaker (mug, coffee cup or glass cup)

 Instruction 

Step 1/4 – Put an empty soda can in a beaker.

Step 2/4 – Put the other beaker about 5cm aside the soda can beaker.

Step 3/4 – Blow the bottom of the soda can letting it jump towards another empty beaker.
Step 4/4 – Adjust the strength you blow, jumping the soda can right in the other beaker. Be patient. It takes some practice.

 Troubleshooting 

Why it is difficult to jump my soda can up.

- Find a mug that is a little bit bigger than the soda can and blow harder.

 Scientific Description 

When we blow towards the bottom of the cup, a high-pressure air between the bottom of the soda can and the inside of the cup is created. As the air pressure in the cup increases, the pressure above the soda can remains the same, creating a pressure difference that pushes the empty soda can up. That is the jump we see.  The harder you blow, the larger the pressure difference is created, the further and higher the soda can will jump. The take-off of the aircraft uses this pressure principle, the higher air pressure on the bottom than that of the top.

 Extensions 

See if you can jump a soda can to the other beaker and then jump it back to the first beaker.