Materials

Instructions

Watch video instructions here (time: 2:16).

1. Cut one toilet paper tube in half lengthwise. 

2. Roll tube into a smaller tube.

3. Tape the edges of the smaller roll in place.

4. With a hole punch or scissors, make a hole near one end of the roll through the tape.

5. Make another hole at the same end opposite of the first hole.

6. Poke the pencil through both of the holes. 

7. On your second toilet paper tube, cut two slits into one end of the tube, about ¼  inch long and ½ inch apart. 

8. Cut two more slits on the same end of the tube, directly across from the first two. 

9. Carefully loop one rubber band through the slits on one side, so it hangs from the cardboard piece in the middle. 

10. Repeat with the other rubber band and other slits. 

11. Reinforce the slits with tape.

12. Insert the small tube into the larger tube.

13. Stretch the rubber bands around the pencil. 

14. Load cotton ball in the top of the tube.

15. Pull back on the pencil & release it...

16. LAUNCH! 

cool fact

You used two types of energy to load and launch your cotton ball! 

As you pulled back on the pencil, you added potential energy to the system. 

The farther you pulled back on the pencil, the more potential energy was being stored. 

When you released the pencil, the potential energy became kinetic energy, which sent the cotton ball flying through the air!