Hooked on Science: Racquetball popper

You may use it to play a popular sport, but did you know you can use a racquetball to create an awesome science toy?

Materials

* Racquetball

Instructions

STEP 1: Have an adult cut the racquetball in half. Turn one of the pieces inside out.

STEP 2: Using scissors, remove a portion of one of the pieces. Once you have removed a portion, make sure you still can turn it inside out.

STEP 3: Turn your racquetball popper inside out. With the concaved portion toward the floor, drop the popper on the floor, and observe. If the popper does not "pop," turn the popper inside out, and use the scissors to remove more of the popper.

Explanation

You stored energy when you turned the popper inside out. Stored energy is called potential energy. When the popper hits the floor, the potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, and the popper bounces into the air.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments.