Air Cannons

Our family is determined to make it to every Thanksgiving Point Design Challenge this year.  We started going last fall and really enjoyed it.  This year we are going to do every one!
Our challenge for January was an air-powered cannon.  It had to launch a marshmallow using only your own power - no compressors or blowing.  Greg and Enoch seemed to know right away what they wanted to do.
We made a quick trip to Home Depot for PVC pipe and then home for construction.  The building didn't take too long and the kids had a great time experimenting with different pressures to launch their marshmallows.  (You do have the option of making your projects at home.  Not everyone does it, but they post instructions and rules online for those of us that want to do that.)
The kids were anxious to see how there launcher would fare against other teams.  I think we were the only team that built ours at home.  Everyone else was building theirs at the Museum.  Ours was pretty high powered compared to the paper towel cardboard rolls and plastic bags other were using.
Launching time!

 The kids were so excited to win this challenge!  Everyone else's cannons launched around 8 inches.  Ours launched that poor marshmallow 46 feet! 

Yay!! Fowler Falcons!  Great job!  Next month we get to build an insulated bird house with no store bought insulation.  It will be awesome to see what we come up with!