Hooked on science: Soaring toilet paper

Did you know a leaf blower can be used to rapidly unroll an entire roll of toilet paper? Here's the cool science behind this awesome experiment.

Ingredients

Leaf blower

Toilet paper

Dowel rod

Instructions

STEP 1: Place the toilet paper on the dowel rod and loosen the tissue.

STEP 2: Hold the dowel rod horizontally with the roll unrolling away from you. Turn on the leaf blower and aim the stream of air just over the top surface of the roll.

Explanation

Increasing the speed of air over the toilet paper lowers the pressure of the air pushing on the tissue paper. There's enough air molecules pushing up on the lower side of the toilet paper to lift the tissue.

Jason Lindsey is a Science Outreach Educator for the Bootheel Youth Museum. Check out his science blog "Hooked On Science" at jasonthescienceguysblog.blogspot.com for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindsey@bootheelyouthmuseum.org. More science experiments can be found at www.semissourian.com.