The Trick to Beating a Carnival Game

Introduction

Have you ever played a game at a carnival, trying to win a stuffed animal or other prize? It might look easy, until you try it. Why are those "simple" games at the fairs and carnivals so hard? Is it really lack of skill or coordination or do those concessionaires use some basic laws of science to help them set up the games in their favor? In this science activity, you will investigate how physics can help you win — or lose — at the classic game of trying to knock over a pyramid of milk bottles using a ball.

Credits

Materials

• Masking tape, a stick, a rock, or a similar object to mark off a throwing distance
• Tennis ball or baseball
• Plastic bottles filled with water, all of the same shape and size (3). Make sure that you can stably stack the bottles in a pyramid shape. Most 16.9 fl. oz. drinking water bottles should work well for this.
• A very large room, or an area outside, with plenty of space so you can throw a ball without injuring someone or breaking something
• A small, stable table
• Optional: Food coloring