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    Catapult Paper

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    api-387894200
    Roman Haberstock conducted an experiment to build and test a catapult. The catapult design used a wooden base, ruler arm, cup bucket, and tape. Three trials were conducted launching a marshmallow at different angles and distances. The data was analyzed to calculate velocities, angles, and average velocities. It was concluded that while the catapult worked in launching the marshmallow, the design could be improved to allow the arm to return straight after launching.

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    Catapult Paper

    Uploaded by

    api-387894200
    31 views3 pages
    Roman Haberstock conducted an experiment to build and test a catapult. The catapult design used a wooden base, ruler arm, cup bucket, and tape. Three trials were conducted launching a marshmallow at different angles and distances. The data was analyzed to calculate velocities, angles, and average velocities. It was concluded that while the catapult worked in launching the marshmallow, the design could be improved to allow the arm to return straight after launching.

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    Roman Haberstock conducted an experiment to build and test a catapult. The catapult design used a wooden base, ruler arm, cup bucket, and tape. Three trials were conducted launching a marshmallow at different angles and distances. The data was analyzed to calculate velocities, angles, and average velocities. It was concluded that while the catapult worked in launching the marshmallow, the design could be improved to allow the arm to return straight after launching.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    31 views3 pages

    Catapult Paper

    Uploaded by

    api-387894200
    Roman Haberstock conducted an experiment to build and test a catapult. The catapult design used a wooden base, ruler arm, cup bucket, and tape. Three trials were conducted launching a marshmallow at different angles and distances. The data was analyzed to calculate velocities, angles, and average velocities. It was concluded that while the catapult worked in launching the marshmallow, the design could be improved to allow the arm to return straight after launching.

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    You are on page 1of 3

    Roman Haberstock

    Miss Goodwin
    Conceptual Physics
    December 15, 2017
    Introduction
    I am interested in the physics of the catapult. Catapults were designed off a crossbow.
    Catapults were first invented in the third and fourth century BC by the Chinese. The height was
    around eight feet tall and it looked like a big crossbow. I, however didn’t build mine like a
    crossbow. I tried to make it as simple as possible. This design had a negative outcome, though.
    The ruler, after being bent and released, did not go back to a straight position. It instead bent
    forward, which made the marsh mellow go downwards. This is not a good design.
    The physics behind catapults can be complicating. It is essentially the release of
    contained energy using tension, torsion, and gravity. There is an equation to find the energy
    contained (y=elastic constant and x=distance pulled back), (y)x2÷2. An equation to find Vx is
    Vx=distance/time. To find Vy, you do Vy=-at. To find time, you take the square root of distance
    times two divided by the gravity (10). To find the angle, you do tan-1 (Vy/Vx). Finally, to find Vt,
    you take the square root of Vx2 + V2y.
    Design Plan
     I used a wooden slab as the base.
     I used a ruler for the arm of the catapult.
     I used a half of a Dixie cup for the bucket to place the marsh mellow in.
     I used an X-acto knife to cut the whole in the wood.
     Finally, I used tape to keep everything intact.
    Data Analysis
    Distance Time (t) Angle (𝜃) Vx Vy Vi
    (X)
    Trial 1 3m .98s 72° 3.06 m/s -9.604 m/s -10.08 m/s
    Trial 2 2.5m 1.35s 82° 1.85 m/s -13.23 m/s -13.36 m/s
    Trial 3 3m 1.05s 48° 2.86 m/s -3.15 m/s -4.25 m/s

    Trial 1 Average Velocity- 5.54 m/s


    Trial 2 Average Velocity- 8.25 m/s
    Trial 3 Average Velocity- 1.51 m/s
    I found initial velocity by taking the square root of the sum of the Vx2 and the Vy2.
    Changing the angle affects the trajectory because the angle affects everything you use to find the
    trajectory, like horizontal distance and vertical distance. Changing the angle also affects the
    initial speed because the more momentum the marsh mellow has, the faster it will go.

    Conclusion
    From this project, I learned the physics and structure of catapults. I learned there is no
    way to make a simple and successful catapult. My project worked because it just missed five
    meters. It didn’t work because it didn’t make it past five meters. I would have placed something
    in front of the ruler so that it would go back to being straight after being released. Projectiles are
    everywhere you look. In soccer, you only have split second to find the correct angle to kick the
    ball (projectile). Also, when playing darts, you have find the right angle to throw the dart, so it
    hits the middle.

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