Web Catapult

Launch a spider into the air with this super springy elastic band catapult.

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things you will need

  • Wide (enough to fit a small hand) cardboard tube. We used a well-known snack brand and cut out the bottom.
  • 4 x wooden lolly sticks
  • Tape
  • 5 x elastic bands
  • Plastic spiders
  • xxx
1

Tape two lolly sticks

  • Tape one lolly stick to the outside of the cardboard tube.
  • Tape another lolly stick directly opposite – also to the outside of the tube.
2

Create a square

Tape the two remaining lolly sticks to the outside of the tube – creating a square shape.

3

Attach one elastic band

  • Place one elastic band around the outside of the lolly stick square.
  • Hook the elastic band around each of the lolly sticks – as shown.
4

Add one more

  • Add another elastic band around the lolly stick square, above the existing band.
  • Take one corner of the bottom elastic band and pull it over the second elastic band and the top of the lolly stick.
  • Repeat for all corners.
5

Add 3 more elastic bands

Repeat steps 4 and 5 three times.

6

Test your catapult

  • Pop a spider on top of the elastic web.
  • Place your hand inside of the tube.
  • Pull back and hold the middle of the elastic web.
  • Release (making sure no-one or thing is in the firing line) and watch your spider launch into the air.

How it works

When you have pulled back the elastic web and are yet to release it, potential energy is being built up. When you release the elastic web, the potential energy is transferred into kinetic (movement) energy.
7

Make a game

Set-up a web to aim at and load your catapult. How many spiders can you get to land on the web?

!

Safety first

Never point the catapult towards a human or animal, or indeed anything that could be damaged or hurt.

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