Hooked on Science: Turkey-baster ping-pong ball launcher

Materials

• Turkey baster
• Ping-pong balls

Instructions

STEP 1: Using the turkey baster, engineer a turkey-baster ping-pong ball launcher that will shoot a ping-pong ball at least 15 feet.

STEP 2: Convey your design through sketches, drawings and a physical model, known as a prototype.

STEP 3: Test the prototype and refine the design by identifying changes that need to be made.

Explanation

Using the engineering design process, which is a series of steps engineers use to guide them as they solve problems, you designed a turkey-baster ping-pong ball launcher. However you designed the launcher, an applied force pushes the ping-pong ball, causing it to shoot at least 15 feet.