Make a Jumping Paper Clip

You can create enough tension in a Make a Paper Clip Launcher to launch it quite a distance when it falls on its side. But it can be tricky to bend it so that it "pops" all that tension in a single moment. Here's a detailed description so you can make that paper clip fly.

Steps

  1. Unfold the outermost side of the paper clip to form a 45 degree angle.
  2. Unfold the opposite side of the paper clip to 45 degrees in relation to the longest side, to form a triangle.
  3. Unfold the last (shortest) side so that it is parallel to the adjacent side of the triangle.
  4. Bend the parallel sides away from each other. This is how you create the tension necessary to launch the paper clip.
  5. Carefully bring them back together without "unbending" any of the tension you created in the previous step. Overlap them so that they are leaning against each other, held together by the tension. They should be as parallel as possible. This can be somewhat tricky.
  6. Carefully take the paper clip and set upright on a flat solid surface. The side of the triangle that's on the surface should not be the one with the ends. Pull your hand away quickly as the triangle falls on its side and launches into the air.
  7. Finished.

Tips

  • Do not use square paper clips. Make sure they're the oval ones.
  • To make the paper clip launch the highest, use the lightest strongest paper clips you have.
  • Use the thickest and strongest paper clips you can find to start out. They're heavier, so they won't get very high, but they're easier to work with because they're thicker.
  • If the paper clip does not jump, try bumping it with a pencil.
  • Instead of setting the paper clip down on a surface and letting it fall to its side, you can also drop it.

Warnings

  • Also, some paper clips tend to loose stiffness over use (the cheaper ones).
  • Wear safety glasses or safety goggles to prevent eye injury. The ends are sharp, and the paper clip can easily fly out of control.
  • Back up as you throw or drop the paper clip.

Things You'll Need

  • One rounded paper clip.
  • A hard surface, or a floor.

Related Articles

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Make_a_Jumping_Paper_Clip&oldid=292792"