Ava Marzo

Mrs. Patterson
Honors conceptual physics
November 11, 2015
Projectile Motion: Catapults
Introduction
For this assignment we were given a month to create a catapult to use and test to
connect with the projectile motion unit that we were covering. We are supposed to
be applying equations for projectile motion and the laws of physics within testing
the catapults. When I took my catapult into school my main goal was to be able to
have it shoot a marshmallow 5 meters. We were graded on the accuracy of the shot
and given points based off of the overall design of our catapults. The design that I
choose for the project was a mouse trap design. I felt that this would be the most
effective because of the sheer power and speed of a mouse traps whipping motion.
Also I didnt want to create a big elaborate catapult, I just wanted a simple one that
would be able to shoot a far distance. This design was definitely super affective and
Im very happy that I chose to use it. The project was based around the concept of
projectile motion and with that we used kinematic equations to understand what
was happening in both the horizontal and vertical direction of a projectile.

Catapults have been around for centuries and have played important parts in the
history of many countries. In earlier days people were trying to figure out how to
increase the range of a crossbow and ended up creating a catapult. Diodorus
Siculus, a Greek historian, was the first creator of the catapult that was used to
launch arrows in 399 B.C. Catapults that we know today were first used in Europe in
the middle ages around 1216. Catapults made siege warfare a lot easier and were
used greatly to launch missiles and other cannonballs. Many catapults were also
used to hurl diseased people into their enemies communities to infect their
citizens. Without the use of early catapults we may not have the advancements of
the War materials that we have today.

Data Analysis
Distance
4.5 meters
4.68 meters
4.72 meters

Time
.8 seconds
.8 seconds
.85 seconds

Vx0
9.545 m/s
9.77 m/s
9.71

Vy0
0
0
0

Vo
5.625 m/s
5.85 m/s
5.55 m/s

The distances included above were greater as the trials went on, and the time for
each was relatively the same. The average velocity of the projectile was about
5.675 m/s. I was able to find the initial velocity for each trial by using the kinematic

equation of: x=Vxot+1/2Axt^2. For example in the first one I plugged in 4.5 as x, .8
for the time, and -9.8 as the acceleration. The same step was completed with all
three in order to find the initial velocity.
Conclusion

Overall, I feel that my catapult did an excellent job at launching a marshmallow.

While I missed the four point mark for exact distance by .3 meters I feel that the
accuracy was good and that the design was proven to work well. One thing that I
would change would be to have the spoon not drag on the wood. When taping my
catapult I didnt move the spoon all the way up so there was a little bit of friction
between the spoon and the mouse trap. While it wasnt a severe rubbing, I feel as if
the catapult could have gotten more distance if there was no rubbing at all.
During the course of the project I realized that there are many different types of
catapults and that it is hard to find one that does exactly what you want it to do. I
also realized that you should never underestimate the power of a smaller catapult
because even though it may not be as fancy and intimidating like some of the other
catapults it may have just as good if not better accuracy and power. Some catapults
examples in real life would be in the Angry Birds app. While playing the game you
have to pull the catapult/slingshot back to a certain length and use the projectile
motion to see whether or not the bird is going to hit the target you want to hit and if
it is going to hit the target with enough speed.