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This Is What Happens to a Ping-Pong Paddle When It’s Hit by a Ball at Supersonic Speed (See the Test)

Feb. 4, 2013 6:25pm Liz Klimas

Research by scientists at Purdue University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering Technologies have developed what could be among the first supersonic ping-pong guns or ping-pong bazookas and have showed off just what it can do to a standard, wooden ping-pong paddle.

Although subsonic ping-pong guns had been developed before to demonstrate acceleration and the power of pressure differentials in air, the research paper states, a simple addition allowed the scientists to get the ping-pong ball to reach speeds of about 908 miles per hour (slightly more than Mach 1.2).

In a video explaining the concept, professor Mark French illustrates how a simple ping-pong ball gun is created with a piece of PVC piping that allows the ball to move a little but still fits it rather closely. Tape off the ends of the tube and create a vacuum through the bottom of it. Now, the tape is under stress, so it can be popped easily at one end. Then air rushes in with about 125 Newtons of force on the ball — that’s an initial acceleration of about 5,000 Gs, French explains. A little bit of air rushing in can get past the ball, creating pressure like a piston, French says, and then the tape on the other end breaks and the ball shoots out.

Purdue University Researchers Create a Supersonic Ping Pong Gun That Shoots a Ball Through a Wooden Paddle

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

French describes the speed as “definitely subsonic but really fast for a ping-pong ball.” This gun can shoot the ball through two empty soda cans but not three.

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

The limitation, French points out, is how fast air can go down the tube.

“The ball can only go as fast as the air,” he says.

To make the air go faster, French uses a nozzle.

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

“If you add one more component to this — a convergent-divergent nozzle — [...] you should get supersonic flow here,” French speculates.

The new nozzle component is sealed to a compartment of pressurized air that will eventually break the seal on its own, sending the ball out the end of the barrel as it did before – except much faster.

Here’s a look at the actual model of the gun. Behind the ball is the pressurized air and in front of the ball is the tube helping create the vacuum conditions inside the pipe. (Image: YouTube screenshot)

French and his team tested this concept in the lab, but first they issue this disclaimer:

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

This is the result of the test:

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

Watch the concept explanation and the test for yourself (Note: the test comes at 5:47):

In their conclusion, the team stated that these tests don’t yet confirm the effect was caused by the nozzle. They write that more research will be conducted to confirm the nozzle is producing effect they think it is. They also speculate that changing the shape of the nozzle might impact the speed.

(H/T: Gizmag via Gizmodo)

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Comments (95)

Saff SGT
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 8:18pm
yes a great idea, i have made a gun using jannet napalitanos scissors fitted to pvc caped pieces of pie with scissors afixed to one end. you tamp the shells down a snug pvc pipe barrel and cap the breech end . Then apply some compressd air to the chamber and the bullet with scissors fixed to the shells fly out of the barrel. accurate to 50 feet so far and cuts the targets all to hell. I have to thank DHS for this great idea of using scissors to kill attackers. Soon I will have 4 barrels all hooked to one gun then I can kill 4 attackers at the same time.

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- banjarmon
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:21pm
  Potato gun.
  
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- rederthanyou
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:01am
  I have a pump action BB gun.
  
  Report this comment
- CLEttinger
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:11am
  Does anyone find it strange that the ball goes through the paddle and is then stopped by cardboard?
  
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- The_Engineer
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:08am
  @CLETTINGER no, It would have been strange had it gone through. There is not much mass (structure) to a ping pong ball to assume it would exist or have energy remaining on the other side of the paddle.
  
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- Secret Squirrel
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:37am
  Mythbusters does this all the time.
  By making the barrel longer, the pressurized air has more time to accelerate the ball.
  I’d put the vacuum closer to the barrel exit to keep the air moving forward.
  But, I’m surprised that a ping pong ball can be made supersonic, it’s not exactly aerodynamic!
  
  Report this comment
- fgarvin
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:33pm
  SWEEEETTTTT, sounds like a good Homeland Security Cannon – wink, wink. Especially the scissors idea!
  
  Report this comment
- Xiccarph
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 1:37pm
  The Engineer is right. Nearly all of the kinetic energy of the ball is lost making the hole, on the other side you will essentially have splinters and dust sized particles. In the video, you can see pieces striking the back-board and sticking into it, behind the paddle. It is probably not cardboard, but a painted/papered over sheet of plywood or similar. The ping-pong ball has pretty much been pulverized…the pieces striking the back-board are probably from the material from the hole made in the paddle, and not from the P-P ball itself. Cool demo…our University minds in action hehe.
  
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woodyee
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:52pm
I want to thank the professor for showing us how to make a portable version of a supersonic pingpong ball gun!

Well, he didn’t actually SHOW us, but it would be pretty simple to an air gun into a yadayadayada and substitute CO2 for yadayadayada….

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Clownzilla
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:48pm
Years of experience……ok. Specialized equipment…….makes sense. Lot’s of college degrees…………really?! Don’t get me wrong, this was pretty cool but I know a lot of people with “advanced” college degrees that can’t even microwave a burrito let alone shoot a pingpong ball at almost 1000 MPH. Remember, there are MANY brilliant people that don’t even attend college and a LOT of stupid people that do. I don’t know these people and I would assume that they are pretty smart but telling me that they have a bunch of college degrees means absolutely nothing to me.

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- Kaoscontrol
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 8:56pm
  Yes, but they paid good student loan money for all those professors telling them that they are smarter and better educated than the rest of us.
  
  Report this comment
- amtsoundsmith
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:28pm
  Some of the dumbest rubes I’ve ever met had expensive advanced degrees. Look at most of the brilliant people throughout history and nine times out of ten they considered themselves autodidacts.
  
  Report this comment
- brigott
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:06pm
  That was my first thought as well! “Lot’s of college degrees” means nada, nothing, zilch, zippo!
  
  That elitist “I’m smarter than you” attitude is the same attitude portrayed by politichickens all over the country.
  
  Report this comment
- WhatTheFrack
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:50am
  It was a joke. Maybe he was right, went right over your heads.
  
  Report this comment
- Clownzilla
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:38pm
  @Whatthefrack
  
  No, it was not a joke. A lot of educators (especially college professors) think their degrees grant them educational superpowers. There is no reason to think that these people think differently. Stay blind if you want, but the truth is that university studies are pointless in themselves so using them to cite intelligence is pretty much useless. These guys have experience which is WAY more meaningful than the college degree of theirs. Present me a person who has successfully worked in a lab for 20 years and a person who was an A+ student at an Ivy League school and I will pick the experience 100% of the time.
  
  Report this comment
- Hiram_Walker
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:43pm
  There’s a big difference in degrees. I’ve had professors with Bachelor of Science, Masters of Science, PhD’s in engineering, physics, math, etc (technical degrees) who are brilliant. I’ve also had professors with Bachelor of Liberal Arts degrees in Political Science, Economics, English, History, etc. who make you wonder if they have enough common sense and skill to wipe their butts with toilet paper let alone try to operate a microwave oven (low information voters that somehow are allowed to vote…….). It’s my guess when these guys say “lots of college degrees” they probably have masters/PhD’s in physics, engineering,etc. and a bit of an understanding in what they are talking about.
  
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searching for the Truth
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:34pm
There is something else that would do greater damage. Nope ! We got enough people after our weapons.

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Satellite309
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:30pm
********MESSAGE FOR OBAMA SUPPORTERS******

TURN IN YOUR WEAPONS TO YOUR LOCAL POLICE STATIONS . Please surrender your weapons, guns, rifles, pistols, etc. to your local police.

Supporting your President is very important to you. You certainly would be pleasing him if you surrendered all your weapons.

Unconfirmed report:
I am still getting up-to-the-minute info on this, but it looks like for every person who surrenders their guns, they will get $500 WORTH OF FOODSTAMPS.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
What Obama supporter cannot get excited about that!!!
I still cannot confirm this, but we’ll have to assume that this is true until someone like Harry Reid says it isn’t. Just call or e-mail the White House to confirm. NOTE: this offer is for Obama supporters only !…everybody else please keep your weapons for the upcoming civil war. Thank you

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- fgarvin
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:35pm
  SWEEET I have a broken piece of crap gun I found that is worth about $10 in scrap metal. Where do I take it?
  
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Ironeagle
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:26pm
OK. So now what?

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john654
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:20pm
Only gun we will be left with if it’s up to Obama

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RoDogg
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:11pm
I want to change the audio to have Ben Stein’s voice saying: and this is your dollar on quantitative easing.

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jackact
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:10pm
Truly amazing.
What ‘settled science’ is all about.
Liberals lie at the speed of ping pong balls.
Don’t need a university grant to prove that.

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RightThinking1
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:07pm
Why…, why…, they’ve discovered the GUN.
It is painful to believe that university resources are being used to duplicate what has been done for centuries. They can wrap it in argot, but it is just the same as using gunpowder to create a pressure differential on either side of a musket ball.
Millions of dollars are frittered away every year on pointless ‘research’. I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.

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- DougHuffman
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:13pm
  And I’ve been there and disagree. Argumentum ad verecundiam from Anony Mouse don’t cut it.
  
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- RightThinking1
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:23pm
  Dough,
  
  Disagree about what? That there is fundamentally no difference in firing a ping pong ball through a paddle and firing a musket ball through a paddle? Or, that millions are squandered on pointless research?
  
  Report this comment
heavyduty
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:06pm
Wonder what would happen if it was shot up Obo’s ****?

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:15pm
  He would slyly smile.
  
  Report this comment
- FISH_BONE
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:15pm
  It would hit Chris Matthews in the head of course.
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:16pm
  HEAVYDUTY, I suppose they could use it to rapidly inject gerbils at a Fire Island party.
  
  Report this comment
- TIMEBOMB
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:28pm
  Funny you should ask because I’ve done that several times and your magnificent gay Marxist ruler enjoys it a great deal. You should see what a standard ping pong paddle can do to your magnificent gay Marxist rulers caramel colored bottom! Ahhhhh Jack Hammer my favorite SS man,so many memories and we’ll make more memories as soon as I shave my beard.
  
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- BARRYS_BEARD
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:58pm
  “as soon as I shave my beard” What? Never!
  
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FISH_BONE
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:04pm
Considering the above proven results of sending an empty spherical shape at high speed through a wooden paddle. One can safely assume the same results would be achieved by sending Joe Biden’s head through a large piece of plywood.

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- DougHuffman
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:11pm
  No. The ping-pong ball is not empty, it is full of air. Bidens big-head is at a hard vacuum. His little-head is full what brains he has, the dick head.
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:13pm
  FISH_BONE, LoL!
  
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- BARRYS_BEARD
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 8:19pm
  DOUG: Your hypothesis is in error as you have failed to include all elements in your reasoning. For example, the likelihood of a vacuum existing within Biden’s cranium is slight when we consider the number of holes in the top resulting from numerous plugs. If Occam’s Razor is implemented, we must assume that the most logical explanation is that Biden’s head truly is simply full of sh/t, just as we have all thought from day one.
  
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ronin_6
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:01pm
The comment about lots of college degrees between them is funny. 8 he said and more on the way? That alone should disqualify them from playing with it. No common sense.

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dajones
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:00pm
I would argue that a college degree qualifies you least to decide what you should and shouldn’t do.

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- DougHuffman
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:07pm
  Hah! A BA is necessary for a McJob tiding one over to the next welfare check.
  
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- Lt_Scrounge
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:04pm
  I know a number of people with college degrees that don’t know diddly about the real world. My degree isn’t good for much other than explaining to liberals how wrong they are (political science with a history minor) but I at least know which end is up. Some of the computer science majors that I went to college with were great in the virtual world, but worthless in the real world. It’s no wonder that we have some many supposedly educated people supporting Obamao, they’ve never lived in the real world. They have no concept of reality.
  
  Report this comment
Micmac
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:55pm
Time to tax ping pong balls.

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- happ77
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 3:35pm
  A Federal registry, no auto-loading ping pong guns,
  backround check and ultimatly confiscation.
  
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4eyes
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:54pm
Great, now dianne feinstein is going to ban ping pong!

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DougHuffman
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:53pm
To: MET@perdue.edu

Subject: About the ping-pong ball shooter, condition of the ball afterwards?

Body: Inquiring minds want to know. My GUESS is that it is little damaged.

Thanks.

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Ben__Franklin
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:46pm
Did the ball create the hole or did the supersonic blast of air?

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- Ben__Franklin
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:57pm
  and what i mean is can the hole be created without the ball.
  
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- DougHuffman
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:18pm
  About the ping-pong ball, I don’t know.
  
  I watched a demo of a major steam leak in a 600 psi steam plant, 2 MWTh through a 2.5 inch valve. A rag mop put in the ‘flame’ exploded. A pin hole in a 1200# steam pipe will cut a 2×4 in half.
  
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- GroundZero is Nuclear Demolition x3
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:00pm
  @Doug I tried to tell that type of thing on Mythbusters forum, and they called me a lier. It was a hydraulic line killing a man on a carrier launch catapult.
  
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- DougHuffman
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:48am
  @X3, I enjoy damning the “conspiracy of ignorance [that] masquerades as common sense.” MissBusters pander to the ignorance of their market. Eschew television, it is the little death of skepticism.
  
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- The_Engineer
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:41am
  As with anything in engineering Ben, it depends. In this case, I would say no as the diameter of the barrel is large and the distance is pretty far. The evidence left behind as the ‘hole’ also indicates the influence of the ball by the crisp edge. I would expect to see non-uniform damage to the paddle if it were only air, as they have it set up, as the air itself could not maintain its round shape as the energy converts from velocity head back to pressure head.
  
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DougHuffman
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:44pm
There are convergent-divergent nozzles all over a steam power plant, thousands in the turbines, air ejectors, eductors, and we power them with megaWatts of 600 psi steam – great fun. There is even an type of steam powered air conditioner with no major moving parts – powered by nozzles.

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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:43pm
Oh my gosh! It’s an ASSAULT PING PONG BALL!!! YIKES! 0_o

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- Blivit
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:56pm
  and powered by VACUUM! lets just see them try to confiscate that ammo!
  
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heavyduty
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:41pm
That’s all fine and dandy! But what I would like to know is if you can use the ping pong ball again after it’s shot?

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DZ-015
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:39pm
What did the ball look like afterwards? I wonder of there was a shaped charge effect, as the ball exploded from the compression of the air inside it.

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PoliticallyRightUs.Com
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:38pm
Anybody ever see Rocket City Rednecks??? This a test for them!
Secondly: The funniest words ever… “Now don’t try this at home, We have degree’s” Bahahahaha

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 7:20pm
  POLITICALLYRIGHTUS.COM, I like Rocket City Rednecks. They are right here in Alabama, and it doesn’t cost the taxpayer a dime when they do something.
  
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Charles Curtis
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:38pm
oops – they made a weapon… seriously cool.

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aproudinfidel
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 6:33pm
I’m glad I’m not paying for my kid to learn how fast a ping pong ball can go.

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- The_Engineer
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:53am
  The world needs basket weavers too. Not everyone should be an engineer, thanks for saving us the trouble!
  
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