Equipment:
Theory: In a one-dimensional elastic collision between two objects that are initially traveling with equal speeds in opposite directions, the smaller object will have more kinetic energy after the collision than before.
Description: As the package of the Astroblaster says, it "works just like a real supernova". When the Astroblaster is dropped so the large ball hits the ground first, with the other balls stacked vertically on top, momentum is transferred along the chain of balls to the small one on top, causing it to rise to a much larger height than the height from which the Astroblaster was originally dropped.
The small red ball on top is easy to lose, so please try to keep track of it! Some practice shots should also be carried out before doing this in front of an audience, too.
Setup time: 5 minutes