Making Laminar Flow

All you need is a water balloon!

Laminar flow occurs when the fluid flows in infinitesimal parallel layers with no disruption between them. In laminar flows, fluid layers slide in parallel, with no eddies, swirls or currents normal to the flow itself. Laminar flow is common only in cases in which the flow channel is relatively small, the fluid is moving slowly, and its viscosity is relatively high.

Watch the video above and try the experiment.

Journal Questions
  1. Did the water coming out of the balloon look different from water coming out of a hose or poured from a glass?
  2. Did you make colored water? What color did you make?
  3. Try taking a picture of the laminar flow and add to your journal.

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This video gives a more advanced explanation of laminar flow:

And you don’t want to miss the Laminar Flow video from Smarter Every Day:

Want to learn even more about flowing liquids … check out this episode of Crash Course Physics:

 

 

Topics

Science
Grade Level
2-3
4-5
6-8
9-12
K-1

Creator

The Amaze Lab

Curator

Picture of STEAMfest

STEAMfest

Imagine, Discover, Explore

Materials

  • Balloon
  • Duct or electrical tape
  • Sharp pen
  • Food coloring (optional)