We use them to cook with, but have you ever consider using them for a hands-on science lesson? Jason Lindsey with Hooked on Science tells us how to use a few ingredients from around the house to create a potato gun. Be sure and use adult supervision.

Supplies

36-inch wooden dowel rod

24-inch copper tube

Potato

Instructions

STEP 1: Push one end of the copper tube into the potato. Pull the tube out of the potato

STEP 2: Push the other end of the copper tube into the potato. Pull the tube out of the potato.

STEP 3: Use the wooden dowel rod to push one of the potato plugs about 6 inches into the copper tube.

STEP 4: Leaving the dowel rod in the copper tube, point the other end into the sky, and quickly push the dowel rod further into the copper tube.

Explanation

As you pushed the dowel rod further into the copper tube the volume of trapped air decreases, while the pressure increases. This propels the potato plugs out of the tube into the air. You can discover more hands-on experiments by going to hookedonscience.org.