Potato cannon

A potato cannon is a toy that you can make yourself at home! Imagine a big tube, like a long pipe, that you can shoot potatoes out of with really strong bursts of air!

Here's how it works. First, you take a big, sturdy tube, like a PVC pipe, and cut it to the right length. You also need some end caps to close both ends of the tube. After that, you drill a small hole in the bottom half of the tube, where you can put a spark plug. The spark plug is kind of like a little fire that starts the explosion.

Next, you have to add some fuel to the potato cannon. This can be done by pouring some hairspray into the tube through the hole where the spark plug is. Hairspray is a special kind of spray that has flammable gases like propane and butane in it. When you spray it into the potato cannon and then ignite the spark plug with a battery, it creates a big explosion that shoots out the potato!

Before you shoot the potato, you need to put it in the tube. The potato needs to be a tight fit, so it doesn't fall out when you shoot it. Once you have the potato in the tube, you pump air into the cannon using a bicycle pump or air compressor. Pumping air into the tube creates pressure and when the spark plug explodes the fuel, it creates a lot of energy that shoots the potato out!

Remember, a potato cannon isn't a toy to be played with carelessly or with other people around. Always use safety precautions and adult supervision when building and using a potato cannon.