Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Catapult Maker Challenge
Catapult Maker Challenge
Overview
The first recorded catapult was in ancient Greece around 399, B.C., catapults were
used in battle to defeat walls and attack settlements, but in modern times we can
use them for something else! Catapults are very useful to learn STEM concepts,
particularly Newton’s 3 Laws of Motion: an object at rest stays at rest unless acted
upon by an outside force; force is equal to the change in momentum per change in
time, and for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. How can you see
some of these laws in action with the catapult? Playing with the catapult also
provides an opportunity to observe gravity, kinetic energy, and potential energy. Will
the weight of the projectile make a difference in how far it travels or how fast it falls
to the ground?
1
Materials
● Popsicle Sticks
● Rubber Bands
● Mini Cups
● Plastic Spoons
● Clothes Pins
● Pipe Cleaners
● Washi Tape
● Play-Doh
Projectiles
● Bouncy Ball
● Pom Pom
● Candy
The Problem
You need to move some materials from one place to another with the help of a
simple machine. Keeping what you know about force and motion in mind, your
challenge is to design the catapult that will move your materials the farthest.
2
The Goal
Build a catapult with the supplies in your kit or anything else available to you, that
will launch the projectiles as far as possible. You may design the catapult in any way
you’d like. Think about which projectile has the potential to go the farthest in
distance.
Design
Keep in mind:
● How much force will your design require for a successful launch?
Make a Prediction
Make a prediction of which projectile (bouncy ball, pom pom, candy) you think will
shoot the farthest, and how far it will go (in feet):
3
Worksheet
4
Challenges
● Build a catapult that launches over 6 feet