How to Make a Mini Catapult Work
Catapults work as a lever to throw heavy objects a considerable distance. According to the Smith College Museum of Ancient Inventions, catapults were ancient military machines invented by Greek Dionysius the Elder of Syracuse in 400 B.C. A mini catapult works with the same physics but in a much smaller scale. Tension is created when the pivoting beam or arm is pulled back. Once it is released, the stored energy pushes the beam back up like an arced spring, propelling whatever it was holding in its bucket.
Things You'll Need
- 8 oz. milk carton
- Scissors
- 2 rubber bands
- Toothpick
- 2 pencils
- Tape
- Matchbox tray
- Mini marshmallows
Instructions
-
-
1
Cut off the peaked top of an 8 oz. milk carton with scissors. The carton is the base of the mini catapult. Then, starting from the open top, cut off two-thirds of one side of the carton, leaving the remaining one-third at the bottom.
-
2
Place the carton so that the side with two-thirds cut out is facing you and the open top is facing upward. Use the tip of your scissors to punch a small hole in the center of the remaining one-third of the side that was cut. Bore a hole 2 inches from the top on the left side of the carton, then repeat on the right side of the carton.
-
-
3
Push a rubber band through the hole on the cut side of the carton. Thread a toothpick through the loop of the rubber band to secure it into place.
-
4
Push a pencil through the other two holes on the sides of the carton. The pencil should be evenly distributed between the two holes.
-
5
Tape a matchbox tray to the sharpened point of another pencil. Push the eraser end of the pencil through the loop of the rubber band secured with the toothpick. Place the eraser end with the rubber band loop onto the center of the first pencil.
-
6
Wrap a rubber band around the eraser of the pencil with the matchbox tray to the first rubber band and the central pencil. Pull the pencil with the matchbox tray back towards the table. Put a mini marshmallow onto the tray. Let go to release and hurl the marshmallow.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
You also can use a single-hole paper punch to create the holes in the mini catapult.
Adjustments may be needed with the rubber bands to make the catapult work properly. The rubber bands must create tension when the pencil with the tray is pulled backward.
Create a competition to see who can hurl the marshmallow the furthest.
Children need adult supervision for this craft.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
