Projectile Project Section 2

                        1.       What was your original construction idea?

2.       What challenges did you face in construction?

3.       Did you stick with your original plan?  Why or why not?

4.       Explain how your device works.

5.       Where and how was this device used in history?

6.       What did you learn by constructing this device?

7.       What principals of physics did you utilize in this device?

8.       Tell about a career where this type of device could be useful.

9.       Could this type of device be useful in getting people to space?  Why or why not

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.VIDEO
       2.The "small" parts of the trebuchet was by far the most challenging to change and adjust. The counterweight, the length of the string, the pouch for the projectile, and the tip of the long arm could change the functionality of the device entirely and they all depend on one another.

3. We stayed with our original plan since it's technically "building" it virtually. It won't be easy putting 80ft of 2x4's back together if we encounter an error when we actually start building it.

4. The long arm holds the string which holds the pouch and projectile. The long arm is then pulled upwards by the 40lb/18kg counterweight on the short arm. With the use of PVC pipes and metal pipes, the friction to pivot the long beam is almost negligible...which is necessary since the goal is to swing the long arm as fast as possible.

5. Trebuchets have been used from the 12th Century to modern times. They have been used for throwing dead, infected bodies to cities, boulders to destroy castles, or pumpkins. 

6. As we built the trebuchet, we learned a couple of things: new tools and how to use them, how dangerous it is to build one, how it gets frustrating when measurements are off, and how fun and satisfying it becomes after building it. Other than the ones previously listed, we learned how to have fun with building it... even though it's not perfect.

7. We used the law of gravitation(how gravity affects our trebuchet).Other than gravity, the law of conservation of [insert Physics topic] is/are also used(Come on... almost all of them affect the trebuchet).

8. If you are a high ranking officer in the military, and destroying historic castles or cities with boulders or dead bodies is still a "thing:" then a trebuchet would be the perfect "historical match" for your job, per se. Other than that... a Physics teacher/professor could use this device as a project for his/her students. 

9. Would this type of device be useful in sending people into space? It depends... Since we just learned about "Escape Velocity," the velocity the trebuchet can fire a projectile must be more than, or equal to approx. 25,053 mph: a velocity enough to kill a person, but it will do the job. Other than the trebuchet's lethality, building the trebuchet itself would be hard to accomplish.

To test our trebuchet, we started off doing test fires at random. Seeing if the ball launches too early or too late determines whether if we have to change the angle of the tip of the long arm. The lower the angle of the metal tip relative to the horizontal of the long arm tip, the later the ball is released. With the right angle, maximum distance traveled by the projectile can be achieved. The only problem with this is how to keep the metal tip from changing its angle.

Saftey Concerns

When building a trebuchet, the fear of getting one's face smashed by a 2x4 piece of wood is a good incentive to be careful. Power tools such as the miter saws we used is a hazard to the untrained user. Nail guns become as intimidating as an AK-47 if a person holding it does not know what he/she is doing. Heavy lifting is required, so closed-toed shoes are highly recommended. To remain intact, one must be alert and careful when handling materials and tools. When firing projectiles, the "trigger" must be at least 2 meters away from the trebuchet since many things could go wrong. Warning people in front of the projectile trajectory (unless the goal is to kill or destroy), is highly recommended when firing the trebuchet. The stability of the trebuchet frame must be constant when the trebuchet is firing. To avoid injuries and casualties (assuming the target isn't a city or a castle), one must be on the mindset of "what if [insert worst case scenario] happen(s)?"