This catapult requires a little more time, materials, and effort than the Fast Catapult, but it's totally worth it. This device is what most folks think of when you say 'catapult'. I've shown you how to make a small model - how large can you make yours?

This project builds on the ideas from Unit 5: Lesson 2: Kinetic Energy.

Materials:

  • plastic spoon

  • 14 popsicle sticks

  • 3 rubber bands

  • wooden clothespin

  • straw

  • wood skewer or dowel

  • scissors

  • hot glue gun


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Comments

7 Responses to “Clothespin Catapult”

  1. sanasyed314 says:

    I am soooooooooooooo excited to try this clothespin catapult so well here goes nothing

  2. Hello –
    My name is Mary Crawford, and I am a 13 year old homeschooler in the eighth grade. I have been using your Supercharged Science/eScience program for my science (specifically physics) curriculum this year. After working through Unit 5 (Kinetic and Potential Energy) and building some awesome catapults, I felt the need to visualize what I had learned. I love to draw, so I created a graphic that summarizes several topics from that unit, and I’d like to share it with you now. The top half is based on my observations on energy in the Advanced Catapult project from Lesson 2 (Kinetic Energy). The bottom half is a diagram largely based on the “Ball Bounce” video in Lesson 1 (Potential Energy), about why things lose energy, with some added visualization.

    I hope you enjoy my observations, and your science program is awesome!

    Thanks,
    -Mary Crawford

  3. Anonymous says:

    Mom and I had a contest to see who could hit Pitter our cat with all the different size balls and Littlest Pet Shops!
    Mom got her first with the dolphin and then I flung the red ping pong ball and Pitter took off with it!!
    This was fun to build. Thank you Aurora…
    Sophie (from last summer’s camp in California!)

  4. Nelson Sun says:

    wow

  5. Lisa West says:

    I had as much fun as the kids with these. We used ping pong balls and laid siege to each others castles. 🙂

  6. Abby Edmunds says:

    This looks super fun! I’ve never ever made a Catapult before- so I’m sure to enjoy launching my brothers Lego ships into space. =] Thanks Aloura!

  7. Jennifer Sequeira says:

    I had fun making this! It really shoots far! I like to shoot my Bionicle Lego helmets from it.