Thursday, May 23, 2013
.JPG)
.JPG)
Physics Behind the Catapult
Force
A trebuchet is powered by gravity or a force strong enough to launch an object. The force is on the end with the counterweights, and the projectile on the other. Gravity brings down the counterweights, allowing the arm and sling to fling over. The weights enact a force on the catapult, allowing the projectile to launch. A centrifugal force acts upon the sling, allowing it to keep it hooked onto the catapult as it flies out when launched. The trebuchet also demonstrates Newton's Third Law of Motion: when an object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first one.
Energy
A trebuchet is powered by gravity or a force strong enough to launch an object. The force is on the end with the counterweights, and the projectile on the other. Gravity brings down the counterweights, allowing the arm and sling to fling over. The weights enact a force on the catapult, allowing the projectile to launch. A centrifugal force acts upon the sling, allowing it to keep it hooked onto the catapult as it flies out when launched. The trebuchet also demonstrates Newton's Third Law of Motion: when an object exerts a force on another object, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first one.
Energy
A trebuchet deals with both potential and kinetic energy. While the counterweight is in the air it has potential energy. Once the trigger is released, allowing the counterweight to drop, the potential energy transfers to kinetic energy. Being brought down by gravity the counterweight causes the arm to swing, dropping the counterweight and flinging the water balloon in the sling upwards.
Projectile Motion
Catapults demonstrate not linear motion, but non-linear motion which is presented as our projectile, the water balloon, takes a curved path of motion when launched. Because the water balloon takes a curved path, it can be labeled as a projectile. Therefore projectile motion or parabolic motion has both vertical and horizontal components. The horizontal component (x) can be found by using vix= viCos θ. The vertical component (y) can be found by using viy= viSin θ.
The catapult consists of both vector and scalar quantities. Scalar quantities have magnitude alone. Scalars in projectile motion include time. Vectors have magnitude and direction. Vectors in projectile motion include displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
Catapults demonstrate not linear motion, but non-linear motion which is presented as our projectile, the water balloon, takes a curved path of motion when launched. Because the water balloon takes a curved path, it can be labeled as a projectile. Therefore projectile motion or parabolic motion has both vertical and horizontal components. The horizontal component (x) can be found by using vix= viCos θ. The vertical component (y) can be found by using viy= viSin θ.
The catapult consists of both vector and scalar quantities. Scalar quantities have magnitude alone. Scalars in projectile motion include time. Vectors have magnitude and direction. Vectors in projectile motion include displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
Trial Four
Launch distance: 34 ft.
In this trial, Yadi rearranged the way the sling was put on. She made sure the face mask was facing upwards, which allowed to her to pull the projectile into a more straight position for launching.
Trial Three
Launch distance: 32 ft.
In this trial, we added on a two pound weight that was sitting in the garage. The increased counterweight on the trebuchet allowed the projectile to launch further.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)