Catapult Launch!

Potential or kinetic? You tell us! Energy is all around us in one form or another. Today, we will discuss both types of energy, and we will build a catapult to demonstrate both potential and kinetic energy.

This activity is pulled from our Virtual ExCEL Camps that happened in the summer of 2020! While these activities are written to fit into the larger lesson plan of the camp themes, you can complete them with your little one at any time.

Vocabulary:

• Potential Energy
• Kinetic Energy

To learn the vocabulary, watch this video.

Hypothesis:

When the ball is sitting on the catapult, is that potential or kinetic energy?

What about when the ball is launched?

To do the activity, watch this video.

Materials: 

• 6 popsicle sticks
• 3 wide rubber bands
• 1 plastic spoon
• 1 ball or something to launch (can use tin foil or paper rolled into a ball)

Procedure:

1. Stack 5 of your popsicle sticks.
2. Wrap a rubber band around the end of the 5 sticks, about ½ inch from the end.
3. Put your last popsicle stick in the stack of 5 sticks, in between the fourth and fifth stick in the stack. This should create a T shape.
4. Wrap a rubber band around the other end of the stack.
5. Place your plastic spoon at the top of the stack. It should be horizontal to the single stick, but the stack of sticks should be between the spoon and a single stick.
6. Wrap a rubber band around the end of the spoon and the end of the single popsicle stick.
7. You have created a catapult.
8. Put your safety eyewear on.
9. Test your catapult.

Conclusion:  

Was your hypothesis correct? When did the ball demonstrate kinetic energy? Catapults have been used throughout history and are also known as trebuchets. The most famous one was called the WarWolf and was used by King Edward I.