Trebuchet Lab

Objective: * To determine the how changing the throwing arm length and/or the counterweight mass affects the distance and direction that a can is thrown by a trebuchet. Trebuchet Test Results Our trebuchet had some technical and engineering damage and it did not worked properly. When we launched the sauce can, it moved in opposite direction (away from the target). In the other hand, when we tried it in previous moments it did worked. Design: Drawing of your trebuchet Questions and analysis: 1. Did your trebuchet worked correctly? If so, what was the maximum distance achieved?
If not, why did it fail? It failed because the materials were damaged. The rope that attached one end of the throwing arm with the counterweight was damaged. This did not let the throwing arm to complete it cycle, to the can was launched before it was supposed to and the can moved backward. Also, the throwing arm was too loose and it moved from one side to the other side. 2. How might you measure the maximum height your trebuchet could launch the can? You might you measure the maximum height your trebuchet could launch the can using a reference point.
Watching which was the highest point that the can reached and measure the distance from it. 3. What simple machine is the throwing arm? The throwing arm is a lever and a lever a long stick that you push or pull against a fulcrum to move something. 4. What drawback and advantages does the trebuchet have in battle? Some drawbacks and advantages of the trebuchet in battle are that it helped to throw heavy things at enemies, have greater range capability and greater accuracy than the catapult, it launch object at a higher speed and its power is the counterweight. . How might you measure the maximum distance your trebuchet could launch? You might measure the maximum distance the trebuchet can launch the can by performing many trials, measuring and recording the different distances. The largest distance is the maximum distance your trebuchet could launch a can. 6. What component makes the majority of a trebuchet? The component that makes the majority of the trebuchet is the frame because is supports the other components such as the throwing arm and the counter weight. . What is used to power the trebuchet? What is used to power the trebuchet is the counterweight because it is what pulls the throwing arm. 8. What is the object that is thrown called? The object that is thrown is the projectile. 9. Compare and contrast the trebuchet and the catapult. * A trebuchet is a catapult that uses a counterweight to supply the energy for throwing. * Catapults are any device that throws an object. * The trebuchet has greater range capability and greater accuracy than the catapult. Both are used to throw an object, a large distance. * The trebuchet launch an object at a higher speed than the catapult and its power is the counterweight. 10. How does the placement of a pivot point on the arm affect the mechanical advantage of the trebuchet? The higher you place the pivot point on the arm, the higher the object will go. The lower you place it the lower the object will go. 11. What should the mechanical advantage be for optimal throwing distance?

The power into and out of the arm must be the same, so forces applied to points farther from the pivot must be less than when applied to points closer in. 12. What should the mass of the counterweight be for optimal throwing distance? The mass of the counterweight must be much greater than that mass of the object. 13. What should the length of the sling be for optimal throwing distance? Long slings have a smaller angle of release, short sling have a larger angle of release. 14. How is the throwing accuracy affected by the above mentioned factors? Mechanical advantage- The power into and out of the arm must be the same, so forces applied to points farther from the pivot must be less than when applied to points closer in. Otherwise, the object would not reach the target. * Mass of the counterweight- The mass have to be the correct one, a small mass would not power the trebuchet and an extremely large mass will change the direction of the can trajectory. * Length of the sling- Long slings has a smaller angle of release, so the can will reach a short distance.