Trebuchet Project

Purpose :

The purpose is to determine the effect of increasing the mass of the counterweight on the distance the projectile travels.

Hypothesis :

If the mass of the counterweight is increased, then the distance that the projectile travels will increase.

Data table :

 

Trial # 1

Trial # 2

Trial # 3

Average

1 lb

3.2 m

3.01 m

3.34 m

3.18 m

2 lb

6.9 m

6.71 m

6.78 m

6.80 m

3 lb

9.62 m

8.31 m

8.42 m

8.78 m

 

Conclusion :

This experiment was executed in order to find out what effect increasing the mass of the counterweight has on the distance that the projectile travels. According to the data we took and the graphs we made, increasing the mass of the counterweight results in having the projectile travel greater distance. Therefore, my hypothesis was proven correct, since the distance that the projectile traveled when the heavier counterweights were put in was increased.

History and Use of the Trebuchet 

The history and use of the trebuchet is very unique. The trebuchet has been referred to as many things, ranging from " a medieval siege machine " to " a giant see-saw. "

The trebuchet is a machine that truly is set up like a see-saw, with a heavy counterweight at one end, and a projectile at the other that is held in a basket or a sling. When the counterweight is released, it swings around, pushing the sling up and giving it enough momentum to travel a considerable amount of distance.

There are two types of trebuchet: one with a fixed counterweight, and one with a swinging counterweight. With a fixed counterweight, the counterweight is completely attached to the throwing arm. A trebuchet with a swinging counterweight relies on a huge, hinged bucket that can be filled with material, which was a much more convenient design for medieval times.

Trebuchets with fixed counterweights had wheels to take most of the blow and keep it from tipping over. Swinging counterweight trebuchets had no wheel. There is also evidence that fixed counterweight trebuchets can shoot slightly farther than swinging counterweight trebuchets.

Trebuchets were first invented in Ancient China in the tenth century, where they were powered by man rather than having a counterweight and allowing gravity to do the hard work, such as with later versions of the trebuchet.

Trebuchets first appeared in Europe and England in the thirteenth century, during medieval times. They were used for knocking down castle walls and forts during sieges. A siege is when enemy forces try to capture a city or fort, usually by surrounding and bombarding it. Items commonly used as projectiles for trebuchets were: large boulders, objects that were on fire, and diseased animal corpses to spread illness within the walls and draw the people inside out as quickly as possible.

The projectiles that were used for trebuchets could be thrown as far as two hundred yards. The biggest trebuchets were five stories, or about sixty feet high. The material generally used to make counterweight was anything that the builders could get their hands on. The preferable material to use, however, was lead, since it had a large amount of mass. Builders wanted the counterweights to be heavy so that they would shoot farther, and counterweight mass could be anything from six-and-a-half tons to twelve tons.

The trebuchet has had a long and rich history. Its uses have been varied over the years. Once used for capturing kingdoms and forts, these days it is usually used for fun. People gather to shoot pianos, cars, and even people with these mighty machines. Trebuchets have been and always will be a special part of science and history through the years.