1) Our project

2) The goal of the project was to build a catapult or trebuchet and to launch an object as
far as possible. However we did have multiple restrictions. The first was that the entire
thing had to be less than one meter in every dimension. We were given just under two
days to complete the building of our trebuchet. Then we started an experiment with
changing only one variable. We choose to change the mass of our object we launched.
Then we presented our finding with the class, also hearing what their experiments had
to say. They we went back and had another day to try and make our catapult even
better with the new know data.
3)
The first modification to our trebuchet we made was making the length of the our
string that the ball was attached to exactly 20 centimeters long. We changed the
length of the string so that it isn't too long and drags, but long enough to get
higher when launching and stay on enough so it launches at its highest spot.
Another variable we changed was the angle of the nail that the ball flew off of.
We had the nail at 0 to -10 degree angle. If wwe had the nail any further forward
the ball wouldn't be released down ward treads the ground. And if we any passed
-10 it would slip and go straight up or even backwards.
Our final modification we made to our trebuchet was changing the number of
rubber bands. We originally had only 6 rubber bands. However after finding out

that more rubber bands just means it will go further we added 10 rubber bands.
So in total we had 16 rubber bands and the ball went way further than it did
before.
From the beginning we had an idea of what we needed to use to have our ball go far,
these ideas were later proven with facts.
The first idea we had was the angle in which the rubber bands were placed in
comparison to where the arm of the trebuchet holds them. We originally thought
a 90 degree angle would be best. As it turns out it is and that is because, it is
pulling straight down compared to if it was at an angle then it would have some of
its potential energy going a different direction making it useless for the
experiment.
Another idea we thought would help make the ball go far was setting having the
height of our axle as high as it could be. This makes it so that the release point is
higher so that it will take longer to fall letting it to go further
Another thing we found highly affected the distance the ball goes was the arm
ratio. We used a 1:2 ration. This was later proven to be very important. It
changed one group distances by, only going 1 meter to going 11 meters that is
over 1100% increase in how far it went.
Another idea we had on what affects how far the ball goes is the type of nail that
holds and releases the ball. The two available nail for us was a finishing nail and
a nail with a head. We initially used a finishing nail which was proven to be way
better. It is better because when the string flies off you don't want the string to get
caught on the nail head which would substantially lower the speed it leaves at.
The ball travels the furthest in out trebuchet when the ball launched weighs 10
grams. It will go slower if it has a larger or smaller mass than 10 grams. Our experiment
was to find what weight of ball makes the ball go furthest. In the experiment we were
testing four different weight balls in a trebuchet with no other changing variable. We
used a five, ten, fifteen, and twenty gram ball. Both the fifteen and twenty gram weight
went on average the same distance. Both the twenty gram ball and the fifteen gram ball

went on average twenty-eight and a third meters. Compared to the ten gram ball which
on average went thirty six meters. The evidence shows that when a high weighted ball
went the gravity pulled it down sooner. This is because the mass is larger the force
pushing down on it is also going to be stronger. On the other hand if you get too light it
will not work as well. The five gram ball on average only went twenty-seven and a half
meters. This is because of air resistance. The smaller ball has a harder time pushing
through the air because since it has less mass it has less force so the air has an easier
time pushing back at it making it drop sooner. To conclude, the ten gram ball went the
furthest because any more weight and the force pushing down on it would be too great
making it fall. On the other hand an less and there wouldn't be enough force on the
oncoming air pushing it back making it fall sooner.
4)

Equation

Numbers

Answer

dhorizontal

none

none

d=59.3m

tinair

none

none

t=3.13s

vhorizontal

V=d/t

v=59.3m/3.13s

vhorizontal=18.9m/s

dvertical

d= gt^2

d= (9.8m/s)
(1.565s)^2

dvertical=12m

vvertical

ag=vvertical/tfalling

9.8m/s=v/1.565s

vvertical=15.3m/s

vfinal

ag=vvertical+vhorizontal

18.9^2+15.3^2=v^2

vfinal=24.3m/s

PEspring

PE= kx^2

PE=(300n/m)(.33
m)^2

PEspring=16.35J

KE

KE= mv

KE= (0.01kg)
(24.3m/s)

KE=9.8J