Construct a Device to Transport a Ping Pong Ball to a Bucket

[badgerfan21]

Create a device that will transport a ping pong ball from behind a line to the inside of a bucket 4 feet away. Device must hang from a 7 foot string attached ot the ceiling.

Materials:
2 sheets 8.5 X 11 inch paper
1 paper clip
2 balloons
1 strip of maskin tape 3 inches long
1 thin rubber band

Got any ideas?

 

[illu45]

well, you'll need to build some sort of slingshot, from my guess. Here's my analysis of materials:

2 sheets of 8.5x11 paper - not sure, maybe to fold/construct some sort of base/legs?
1 paper clip - connector
2 baloons - elastic = can be used as rubber bands. Can be inflated, but I see little purpose in that (although I could be wrong)
1 Strip of Masking tape - connector
1 thin rubber band - probably going to be the main moving part of your device.

Hope that helps,
illu45

 

[paulwiersma]

Maybe you could inflate both the balloons and attach them to each other. You could use the paper as stabilisors and with the tape you could attach the balloons, paper and pingpongball to each other. With the rubber band and the paper clip you could get the balloons on the rope. But I think that the chances of succeeding with this rig are very small you can't predict in what direction the balloons will fly.

 

[berkeman]

Just make a 4' long trough (sp?) out of the paper and tape. Form the trough for vertical strength so it can support its own weight when hung from the string in the middle of the trough length. You can use the balloons for the party after you win the prize...