Force:
The forces acting on the catapult are normal force, gravity, and tension. The normal force pushes upward while the gravitational force pushes downward on the catapult arm. When the string pulls to release the water balloon, the weights at the end of the arm are pushed down by gravity and this in turn releases the water balloon as the other end of the arm returns to its normal position. The forces acting on this catapult, specifically the arm, are normal force, gravitational, and tension on the pocket. Also, mass contributed to the gravitational force to increase the speed and thus how far the balloon would travel. The larger the mass (weights) added to the arm, the farther the balloon would travel.
Energy:
Potential and Kinetic Energy are present during launch. Potential Energy is stored energy, which can be calculated by PE=mgh. Kinetic energy is energy of an object that is in motion and can be calculated by KE=1/2mv^2. The arm has potential energy when the weights are held at the top by the release mechanism. When the release mechanism is comes undone and causes the weights to be released, the potential energy turns into kinetic energy because the arm is now in motion. So the PE=KE. The kinetic energy causes the arm to move causing the water balloon to become released from the sling. Increasing the height of the weight at the end of the arm will increasing the potential energy and then the kinetic energy as the water balloon is in motion. You can also increase the mass of the counterweights, w. However, adding too much, will cause the trebuchet to fall over. This happened to us when we added an extra 5 pounds to the existing weight.
Projectile Motion:
Projectile motion refers to the motion of an object projected into the air at an angle. This occurs when the release mechanism becomes unhooked, the arm swings, which releases the water balloon. The water balloon becomes a projectile because it creates a parabolic shape and occurs because of the force of gravity pushing down on the balloon. The variables include gravity, initial velocity, final velocity, and initial height. Gravity pulls the water balloon back to Earth after it is launched. The initial velocity is zero because the water balloon is starting from rest. The final velocity is the velocity just before the water balloon hits the ground. To increase this, one should increase how fast the water balloon is released from the catapult arm. The initial height should have the weights high. With an increased height between the weights and ground, the weights will have further to drop, thus increasing the kinetic energy and increasing how far the balloon travels. Altering the angle can enhance the distance of the water balloon. A 45 degree angle proves most effective by producing a large distance, while a 90 degree angle proves less effective. A 90 degree angle is less effective because it increases the vertical distance the water balloon will travel but decreases the horizontal distance.
The forces acting on the catapult are normal force, gravity, and tension. The normal force pushes upward while the gravitational force pushes downward on the catapult arm. When the string pulls to release the water balloon, the weights at the end of the arm are pushed down by gravity and this in turn releases the water balloon as the other end of the arm returns to its normal position. The forces acting on this catapult, specifically the arm, are normal force, gravitational, and tension on the pocket. Also, mass contributed to the gravitational force to increase the speed and thus how far the balloon would travel. The larger the mass (weights) added to the arm, the farther the balloon would travel.
Energy:
Potential and Kinetic Energy are present during launch. Potential Energy is stored energy, which can be calculated by PE=mgh. Kinetic energy is energy of an object that is in motion and can be calculated by KE=1/2mv^2. The arm has potential energy when the weights are held at the top by the release mechanism. When the release mechanism is comes undone and causes the weights to be released, the potential energy turns into kinetic energy because the arm is now in motion. So the PE=KE. The kinetic energy causes the arm to move causing the water balloon to become released from the sling. Increasing the height of the weight at the end of the arm will increasing the potential energy and then the kinetic energy as the water balloon is in motion. You can also increase the mass of the counterweights, w. However, adding too much, will cause the trebuchet to fall over. This happened to us when we added an extra 5 pounds to the existing weight.
Projectile Motion:
Projectile motion refers to the motion of an object projected into the air at an angle. This occurs when the release mechanism becomes unhooked, the arm swings, which releases the water balloon. The water balloon becomes a projectile because it creates a parabolic shape and occurs because of the force of gravity pushing down on the balloon. The variables include gravity, initial velocity, final velocity, and initial height. Gravity pulls the water balloon back to Earth after it is launched. The initial velocity is zero because the water balloon is starting from rest. The final velocity is the velocity just before the water balloon hits the ground. To increase this, one should increase how fast the water balloon is released from the catapult arm. The initial height should have the weights high. With an increased height between the weights and ground, the weights will have further to drop, thus increasing the kinetic energy and increasing how far the balloon travels. Altering the angle can enhance the distance of the water balloon. A 45 degree angle proves most effective by producing a large distance, while a 90 degree angle proves less effective. A 90 degree angle is less effective because it increases the vertical distance the water balloon will travel but decreases the horizontal distance.