2018/02/14 by French, Mark, Choudhuri, Rajarshi, Stratton, Jim +2
#FOS: Physical sciences #Physics Education (physics.ed-ph) #Popular Physics (physics.pop-ph)
paper · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1802.05334
A vacuum-powered device that shoots ping pong balls at high subsonic speeds has been used for physics demonstrations for more than a decade. It uses physics that are easily understood by students, even though its operation is not immediately intuitive. The addition of a pressure plenum and nozzle results in muzzle velocities exceeding Mach 1.5. Balls are readily fired through ping pong paddles and sheets of plywood up to 12.7mm (1/2 inch) thick. Popular reaction to the device indicates that it is an effective way to spark interest in physics and engineering.