Hooked on Science: Potato Launcher

(41NBC/WMGT) — Science Guy Jason Lindsey shows us how to make a potato launcher! Remember to always wear safety googles , and if you’re under 18 always have an adult around before you try the experiment!

First you’ll need three things. A copper tube from the hardware store, along with a dowel rod, and then finally a potato from the grocery store. Take your copper tube and shove it through the potato then remove it, congratulations– now you have ammo in your launcher! Next take your dowel rod and start pushing it into the copper tube from the end that doesn’t have the piece of potato in it.

As you push the dowel rod in the volume of the trapped air inside decreases while the pressure increases until finally POP! Your ammo has just been launched across the room!