|
Check this section for additional tips, hints, and instructions regarding the projects in Backyard Ballistics. Don’t own a copy of the book yet? Click here. |
Experiment
|
Description
|
Complexity
|
Comments
|
| The Potato Cannon | PVC pipe with friction spark igniter that launches potatoes | Medium | Blast those spuds into the stratosphere! |
Match
Rocket
|
Ported
aluminum film forms a rocket chamber
on paper match
|
Simple
|
Simple,
elegant, and makes a nice pfffft
sound.
|
Pneumatic
Missile
|
Custom-made
stomp-rocket uses air bladder.
|
Medium
|
Jump,
stomp and launch.
|
The
Water Rocket
|
Pressurized
soda bottle is propelled by water
jet.
|
Medium
|
A teriffic rocket project; can go
60 feet up, trailing a jet of
water.
|
The
Cincinnati Fire Kite
|
Simple,
but impressive hot-air powered airship
made from specially folded newspaper.
|
Simple
|
Great
project for cool outdoor evenings.
|
Roman-Style
Catapult
|
Scale
model of Roman onager-style catapult
|
Involved
|
Neat-looking
wooden model that really works.
|
The
Tennis Ball Mortar
|
Mortar
assembled from potato chip cans.
|
Medium
|
Something
that should be in every backyard
boomer’s arsenal.
|
The
Dry Cleaner Bag Balloon
|
High
flying, simple-to-make hot air balloon
made from dry cleaner bag and pie
tin.
|
Medium
|
An
aerial jellyfish that hovers, soars,
and floats.
|
Pnewton’s
Petard
|
Chemical-free
spud gun uses pressurized air for
power.
|
Medium
|
Pressurized
air powers potatoes great distances.
|
The Carbide Cannon
|
Big Bang style
cannon powered by calcium carbide
and water reaction
|
Involved
|
Hear the power.
Loud!
|
The Flinger
|
Rubber tube powered
slingshot
|
Medium
|
Aim, stretch,
stretch, stretch and shoot.
|
The Ballistic
Pendulum
|
Accurate measuring
device uses basic physics to measure
an object’s speed.
|
Medium
|
Useful for measuring
the speed of anything from baseballs
to flying potatoes.
|
