Rubber Band Catapult Designs

I figured that dowel rods might make a bigger and stronger catapult so we decided to do that instead of pencils.

Rubber band catapult designs.

Catapult with popsicle sticks rubber bands and bottle cap this popsicle stick catapult design is very similar to the one above except you are replacing the spoon with the bottle cap. When a rubber band is stretched its potential energy increases. A juice bottle lid or similar object to use as an ammunition basket. Check out our interesting video on how to make a diy catapult with the rubber band.

12 dowel rods i used pre cut 12 and 3 8 diameter dowel rods that i found at hobby lobby. Finally physics to talk about what happens and why when the catapult is activated. Engineers must understand both potential and kinetic energy. When it is released it snaps back kinetic energy and its potential energy returns to zero.

Science skills are used to test and hypothesize how far the object catapulted will go. Potential energy can come from gravity but also from elasticity such as a rubber band. Catapult uses math and engineering to build the catapult using glue rubber bands and popsicle sticks. Rubber bands to identify the specific spring constant k or stiffness of different rubber bands ccss math content 7 rpa 2.

When the tension is released by releasing the stretched rubber band the arm springs forward the energy is transformed from potential to kinetic and is then abruptly stopped by the stop block. Design this easy catapult with craft sticks a spoon and rubbers bands we first ran into this popsicle stick catapult design at the magic house maker workshop. Your catapult is now ready. Building a catapult design your way middle school curriculum mechanical engineering 236 potential energy is stored in the rubber band.

Wait for some time until the glue dries. To make this catapult you will need. The ideal place to tie the rubber band would be at 1 3 rd of the length of the popsicle sticks. Put hot glue over the topmost popsicle stick away from the rubber banded end.

To do this you need a hot glue gun and a cap from a water bottle or sports drink bottle. This popsicle stick catapult design is an awesome. A simple example is the design of a. This prepares the students to use those same rubber bands in their model catapult design as they will be tweaking the distance the rubber band will be stretching and therefore the.