These Guys Use A Vacuum Cannon To Destroy A Soda Can With A Ping Pong Ball

You may be wondering how it’s possible that something as weak and flimsy as a ping pong ball could actually cut right through a metal soda can, but I assure you, it is totally possible.

Zeke Kossover demonstrates how easy it is to make a vacuum cannon, a device that can surely make a ping pong ball destroy an aluminum can. 

Check it out for yourself!

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A representative (Zeke Kossover) from the Exploratorium, an interactive science museum in San Francisco, appeared on an episode of Tested to show off a nifty vacuum cannon.

But, still, how is a ping pong ball able to break through anything? No matter how hard you throw it at someone, it’s just not going to do much damage. 

A ping pong ball might be able to break through something like a soft cucumber, but a can?

I don’t believe it, let’s see.

Zeke explains that one factor that makes it so hard to make ping pong balls fly quickly for long distances is wind resistance.

Ping pong balls almost immediately slow down the second you hit them because they are instantly met with tons of drag. 

One way to get around this is to make a PVC vacuum cannon. 

Zeke demonstrates that first, after putting the ping pong ball into the tube, you have to seal the outer ends of the tube as well.