Create a chain reaction

Potential energy is energy that is stored. For example, if you stretch a rubber band and hold it, it has potential energy. When you release the rubber band its potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. 

A chain reaction is a great way to explore the science of potential energy. Once everything is set up, one little tap can release a cascade of action!

Materials

As many popsticks as you can find.

Steps

1. Place two popsicle sticks in the shape of an “X”.
2. Slide a third popsicle stick underneath the end of the stick in the top left corner. Make sure to hold down the “X” shape as you do this.
3. Slide a fourth popsicle stick underneath the end of the craft stick in the bottom right corner.
4. Slide a fifth popsicle underneath the top right corner of the “X”, parallel to the third stick.
5. Slide a sixth popsicle, parallel to the fourth.
6. Keep adding in this way until you have either run out of sticks or have reached the length you want. Continue holding the end you are building on because if you let go, the chain reaction will begin.
7. Once you're down, let go of the end you’re holding down and see what happens!

What’s going on?

When you bend a popsicle stick, the wooden fibres it’s made of stretch and flex into a new shape. The energy is stored until the wood can spring back to its original shape. So as you build your chain of sticks you store more and more elastic potential energy.

When you let go, each stick quickly returns to its normal shape, the released tension flings the sticks into the air, converting potential energy into kinetic energy!