Hooked on Science: Notebook spring launcher

You might take notes or sketch in your notebook, but using a few materials from around the house you can turn a notebook into an amazing science experiment.

Materials

* Plastic spiral notebook

* Dowel rod

Instructions

STEP 1: Remove the paper from the plastic spiral notebook spring.

STEP 2: Hold the dowel rod by placing your thumb and index finger at one end of the dowel rod. Slide the plastic spiral notebook spring onto the other end of the dowel rod.

STEP 3: Compress the notebook spring against your thumb and index finger. Release the notebook spring and observe.

Explanation

When the plastic spiral notebook spring is compressed, energy is stored. Potential energy is stored energy. When the compressed spring is released, potential energy is changed to kinetic energy, and shoots across the room. Kinetic energy is energy of motion.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science.