Table of Contents
How does a trebuchet work physics?
A trebuchet works by using the energy of a falling (and hinged) counterweight to launch a projectile (the payload), using mechanical advantage to achieve a high launch speed. For maximum launch speed the counterweight must be much heavier than the payload, since this means that it will “fall” quickly.
What makes a trebuchet launch farther?
The longest arm and the heaviest weight both made the projectile go further then the others. A trebuchet with a heavy weight and a long arm will throw projectiles the farthest. The heavier counterweight makes the projectile go further because a larger counterweight mass will make a larger mechanical advantage.
How is potential energy converted into kinetic energy in a trebuchet?
Since the counterweight in a trebuchet is very heavy, it has a great deal of potential energy. While energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can change forms. The potential energy from the raised counterweight is transformed into kinetic energy—the energy of motion—as the counterweight is released and begins to fall.
What part of trebuchet has kinetic energy?
Since the counterweight in a trebuchet is very heavy, it has a great deal of potential energy. While energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can change forms. The potential energy from the raised counterweight is transformed into kinetic energy—the energy of motion—as the counterweight is released and begins to fall.
What is the best ratio for a trebuchet?
Dan Becker suggests that the optimum arm ratio is 4to 1 or greater. Philip Radlinski explains that as the size of the throwing arm increases, the distance the projectile is thrown increases then rapidly decreases.
What are the 3 types of trebuchets?
Sometimes counterweight trebuchets are separated into two or three different categories based on how their counterweights are attached. These being fixed, hanging, and hinged counterweights. A fixed counterweight is an intrinsic part of the swinging arm and its trajectory is circular.
How much weight can a trebuchet throw?
A trebuchet is a device for attacking fortifications. Roughly speaking, a trebuchet has a few advantages over a catapult. First, it can handle heavier projectiles. A catapult’s maximum weight tops out at about 180 pounds; trebuchets top out at about 350.
How far can trebuchets throw?
The farthest distance thrown by a trebuchet (with projectile weight of 20kg and over) is 133.75 m (438.81 ft), and was achieved by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company (USA) in Chico, California, USA, on 2 March 2021. The projectile was in the air for approximately 5.53 seconds.
What is the best launch angle for a trebuchet?
When the trebuchet can only just throw the projectile, a smaller angle is better. That means that the projectile should be thrown before the trebuchet reaches 45 degrees. The actual angle the projectile leaves at perpendicular to the projectile arm is larger that 45 degrees.
What factors affect a trebuchet?
A large distance between the fulcrum and the projectile. A large height above the ground from which the counterweight is suspended. The use of aerodynamic projectiles. Minimum friction about the fulcrum.
How do you make a trebuchet more efficient?
What evidence is there that energy is conserved in a trebuchet?
The trebuchet works on the principle of conservation of energy. As the counterweight is raised, potential energy is being stored in the system. Once the counterweight is raised to the desired height, all the energy in the system becomes potential, leaving zero kinetic energy.
Where is there potential energy once the trebuchet is loaded and cocked before it is released?
For a trebuchet this is the work of rais- ing a heavy counterweight up on the lever. The energy in the cocked position has now been transformed into Poten- tial Energy. When the trigger is released, this potential energy is re- leased as the kinetic energy of motion of the projectile.
What type of energy is used in a catapult trebuchet?
in a Trebuchet? For a catapult, potential energy is stored as elastic energy. This energy results from the force put in as the muscu- lar push or pull needed to stretch, bend, or twist some sort of elastic material that is attached to the throwing arm. For a trebuchet, the potential energy is gravitational.
How heavy should the counterweight of a trebuchet be?
Large trebuchets of this type would typically feature a counterweight roughly ten times the weight of the projectile, which would put War Wolf’s counterweight in the neighborhood of 1.5 tons!
How do you find the trajectory of a trebuchet?
formula √((d/t)^2+ (gt/2)^2). The d is distance (range), t is time, and g is gravity (9.8 m/s). This graph portrays the average velocity of the projectile. As you can see the velocity decreased as the mass of the projectile decreased.
Where does the potential energy in the lever arm of a trebuchet come from?
It relies on gravitational potential energy—the type of energy you get by raising something up off the ground. A trebuchet has a lever arm with a large, heavy counterweight on one end and a smaller projectile on the other end. When the counterweight is raised up, it has lots of gravitational potential energy.
Why do trebuchets have wheels?
Rolling wheels prevent the crushing lurch. Instead, energy is more smoothly channeled into the trebuchet’s arm and missile. Wheels add power as the trebuchet rolls forward. Like a pitcher who leans toward home plate as he hurls, the forward motion adds velocity to the pitched weight.
What forces does a trebuchet use?
To launch a projectile, a trebuchet utilizes the transfer of gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy. A massive counterweight at one end of a lever falls because of gravity, causing the other end of the lever to rise and release a projectile from a sling.
How do you make a trebuchet flywheel?
What is a weakness of a trebuchet?
Another disadvantage of a trebuchet is that if the weight set in the counterweight portion of the trebuchet is misjudged against the weight of the projectile, when they set it off it will misfire and send the projectile in an unpredictable direction that could kill soldiers and livestock or destroy the armies equipment …
What was the largest trebuchet in the world?
The Warwolf, or War Wolf or Ludgar (French: Loup de Guerre), is believed to be the largest trebuchet ever made. It was created in Scotland by order of King Edward I of England, during the siege of Stirling Castle, as part of the Scottish Wars of Independence.
What made trebuchets obsolete?
Similar to other siege weaponssiege weaponsSiege artillery (also siege guns or siege cannons) are heavy guns designed to bombard fortifications, cities, and other fixed targets. They are distinct from field artillery and are a class of siege weapon capable of firing heavy cannonballs or shells that required enormous transport and logistical support to operate.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › List_of_siege_artilleryList of siege artillery – Wikipedia of the Middle Ages, the use of gunpowder eventually made the trebuchet obsolete.
Can a trebuchet launch a person?
The world’s largest working trebuchet can hurl a man-sized projectile at a speed of up to 70 m/s. Working with this video of the trebuchet firing, it looks like it takes about 2 seconds to build up to that speed. This puts the minimum acceleration on the projectile (AKA the person) at between 3 and 4 Gs.