{"id":51285,"date":"2025-08-30T05:15:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T20:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phys-edu.net\/wp\/?p=51285"},"modified":"2025-08-30T05:15:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T20:15:13","slug":"visible-air-cannon-with-dry-ice-make-it-with-a-milk-carton-smoke-rings-dancing-through-the-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phys-edu.net\/wp\/?p=51285&lang=en","title":{"rendered":"“Visible Air Cannon” with Dry Ice! Make it with a Milk Carton! ~Smoke Rings Dancing Through the Room~"},"content":{"rendered":"

[speech_bubble type=”rtail” subtype=”L1″ icon=”5.png” name=”Kuwako Ken”]I’m Ken Kuwako, a science trainer. Every day is an experiment. <\/p>\n

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\u3010This article is also available on the radio!<\/a>\u3011<\/p>\n

When you hear the term “air cannon,” you might just think, “it’s something that shoots out air…” But when the movement of air actually becomes visible, it’s a truly amazing and surprising phenomenon. This time, I’d like to introduce a lesson idea for an “air cannon using dry ice,” which is perfect for visualizing air flow.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This is a very simple yet highly engaging teaching material for students, using familiar materials like a milk carton and dry ice to create smoke rings that appear like a ninja’s trick. Students’ curiosity for physics is naturally sparked, leading them to ask questions like, “Why does it form a ring?” and “Why does it fly?” The setup is easy, and it can be done in a science lab or a regular classroom.<\/p>\n

\u25c6 Why is it a “visible” air cannon?<\/span><\/p>\n

Cardboard air cannons are well-known, but since the movement of air is “invisible,” you can only understand it through visible reactions (like a paper cup being knocked over). By using dry ice smoke, you can visualize the air flow itself. This “visualization” allows you to observe how the vortex ring (a lump of air) flies and disappears, which deepens understanding significantly.<\/p>\n