What forces are acting on a catapult?


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A catapult is a launching device that allows us to experimentally observe projectile motion (see Figure 1). Once the ball is launched, the only forces acting are gravity and air resistance. Gravity accelerates the ball in the negative y direction. Air resistance accelerates the ball in the opposite direction of travel.

How does a catapult work physics?

The catapult you are about to make uses elastic potential energy stored in a wooden stick as you bend it. When you let go, this stored energy is released, converted into energy of motion and transferred to the missile (the launched object), which then flies through the air.

How does a catapult work step by step?

  1. Pull the arm back (rope in case of Ballista)
  2. Place missiles in bucket, sling, or nook.
  3. Release potential energy. Work is done on the arm.
  4. Arm collides with with base and is brought to an abrupt stop.
  5. Missiles retain the kinetic energy from the work done on the arm.

How do you make a catapult in physics?

  1. Stack five craft sticks together and wrap a rubber band around each end.
  2. Stack two craft sticks and wrap a rubber band around only one end.
  3. Slide the five sticks in-between the two sticks, as shown.
  4. Wrap a rubber band where the two sections meet to hold the catapult together.

What energy is used in a catapult?

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.

What makes a catapult go farther?

Use the tension of bungee cords as opposed to springs to power your catapult. The cords should be attached to the front of the catapult and at the front of the catapult arm. When the arm is pulled back, the tension in the cord will pull the arm forward.

How does a catapult get its energy?

The launch arm is a lever that rests on a fulcrum. The catapult works when the potential energy stored in a stretched rubber band is converted to kinetic energy when it snaps back to its loose shape, moving the catapult armโ€”and the projectile!

How does friction work in a catapult?

Friction is the force between two objects rubbing together. In a catapult, many surfaces rubbing together are unavoidable. First is the friction between the key and the arm of the catapult, when the key is holding it down. The rougher the surface, the more friction it creates.

What are the 4 types of catapult?

The main types of catapults used were the trebuchet, mangonel, onager, and ballista.

What is the concept of catapult?

A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants โ€“ particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stored potential energy to propel its payload.

Is catapult push or pull?

Students pull back on the catapult, powering it up. When released, the catapult’s moving arm pushes a projectile, making it move in turn. Gravity and air resistance eventually stop the projectile.

How does a catapult demonstrate the laws of motion?

YouTube video

What makes a catapult more accurate?

The angle at which the throwing arm is pulled back to will affect both the distance the projectile will travel and also the height that it reaches when in the air. The Trebuchet: The Trebuchet was one of the more accurate and efficient types of catapult used in ancient times.

What simple machine is a catapult?

A catapult is a lever simple machine. A lever changes the distribution of the weight, as seen in the catapult, as the weight is moved from the object being launched to the fulcrum, where the craft sticks are banded together.

What forces were used to move the projectile pushes or pulls?

Air resistance and gravity are the only forces acting on a projectile. The combination of an initial forward velocity and the downward vertical force of gravity causes the ball to follow a curved path.

How do you calculate the force of a catapult?

For example, a distance of 100 meters at 10 seconds is: vh = 100/10 = 10 m/s. So, if the projectile took 5 second to reach maximum height: vv = (9.8)(5) = 49.4 m/s.

How does a catapult work physics for kids?

It works mainly by using potential and kinetic energy stored in the rubber bands. Potential energy is the store energy where as the kinetic energy is the energy in motion. Also, the three primary energy storage mechanisms that help the catapult to work are torsion, tension and gravity.

What are 5 types of catapults?

The main types of catapults used were the trebuchet, mangonel, onager, and ballista.

Why is 45 degrees the best launch angle?

As ball speed increases, so does the drag force and the lower is the required launch angle. A launch at 45 degrees would allow the ball to remain in the air for a longer time, but it would then be launched at a lower horizontal speed at the start and it would slow down more because of the longer flight time.

What factors could affect a catapult?

  • Distance from the fulcrum.
  • Force behind launch.
  • Today’s Objective:
  • Weight of the Projectile.
  • Angle of Release (pull back)
  • pullback = launch time.
  • Durability of Construction.
  • Accuracy vs. Precision.

At what angle should a catapult launch for maximum distance?

A projectile, in other words, travels the farthest when it is launched at an angle of 45 degrees.

How do you calculate the trajectory of a catapult?

y = h + Vแตง * t – g * tยฒ / 2.

What type of lever is a catapult?

A catapult is classified as a class 1 lever. Class 1 levers are designed to change directions of the resistance (or load) with effort.

How far can a catapult fire?

Catapults can launch things a fair distance — 500 to 1,000 feet (150 to 300 meters) is common. It is surprising how much energy they can store. The gears are important, because they create a winch.

What forces is acting on the projectile?

The only force acting upon a projectile is gravity!

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