Marshmallow Slingshots

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For the next 15 days, I’ll be walking you step-by-step through each of these fascinating science experiments.  The eBook has all the instructions…but I’ll be sharing pictures of the process–from start to finish!

Our first “experiment” was so much fun we made a game of it!  This idea is originally from Kitchen Pantry Scientist and adapted slightly.

Here’s what you’ll need to make marshmallow slingshots:  the plastic ring from a prescription bottle or the ring underneath the cap on the gallons of milk (that breaks when you first open it), rubber bands, large marshmallows, and a chair for each person participating.  

 1.  Place the plastic ring in the center and then make a chain of rubber bands on both sides.  To make the chain, overlap two rubber bands (or the ring and the rubber band) to look like a Venn diagram and then pull the bottom rubber band through the top one and over itself.  Continue the process until you have a chain equal to the length of the distance between two legs of your chair.

2.  Turn your chair upside down and secure the chain in between the two legs of the chair.

3.  Put your marshmallow on the ring.  Hold the marshmallow as you pull back.  Release and watch the mallow go flying!

The Science Behind It:

This is a great illustration for Newton’s Third Law:  Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.  When you use force to pull back on the marshmallow, it flies forward once you release it.  This is also a great activity for transformation of energy.

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