Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Build a Boat From Pop Cans

Used soda or pop cans can be saved from the landfills and recycled when they are used to make a toy boat. Children and parents alike participate in this craft project, making a miniature steam engine boat out of their old, washed pop cans. This project also works well for an educational science project for older children to learn about converting heat energy into mechanical energy and about how heat energy lost equals heat energy gained.

Things You'll Need

6 inches of 1/8-inch copper tube
Clean pop can
X-Acto knife
Strong scissors
Masking tape
Pen
Glue gun
Tea candles
Nail
Cup
Tub

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the pop can in half lengthwise using the X-Acto knife.
- 2
  Wrap the copper tube around a pen once to form a coil.
- 3
  Place the tea candle inside one half of the pop can and glue it to the bottom near the top of the can.
- 4
  Poke two holes in what used to be the bottom of the can with the nail and push the ends of the copper tubes through the holes. Position the coiled copper over the tea candle and the ends out into where the water will be, at the back of the can. Place masking tape around the tubing to hold it into place.
- 5
  Fill the copper tubing with water by placing one end of the copper into a cup of water and sucking through the other end.
- 6
  Place the boat into a tub of water and light the candle to watch it go.

Science