Introduction

Throughout this project I hope to learn and get a better understanding on the idea of catapults

and what is the best way to build one. Catapults are devices that are used to launch a projectile to a

certain distance or target. It has been used since ancient times and was very effective in past wars and

battles. When catapults were first created they were meant to be a hand-held version of the crossbow.

However, throughout the years catapult have developed immensely by creating huge catapults

alongside the hand-held ones.

I picked the design I did because it is very sturdy but also flexible at the same time. This affected

my results and made it the best catapult because the binder clipped allowed me to pull the popsicle

sticks to whatever angle I wanted. This helps me get a more accurate shot because I was able to see

where the 45degree angle was. The binder clip, which was attached to the popsicle sticks, helped to

keep the popsicle sticks and the spoon in place so that they wouldn’t move during the launch.

The physics concepts behind the catapult is the amount of force/ the angle you release your

bullet from. This will determine the hang time and max height along with the speed that the bullet will

obtain while it is in the air. The equations I used were Vx = distance/time ; Vy = -a*t ; Vi = Square root of

Vx^2 + Vy^2 ; angle = tan(-1)(Vy/Vx). To build the perfect catapult, you also need to keep in mind any

pieces of the catapult that may stop the bullet from launching at it’s maximum speed. You also need to

keep in mind energy conservation and the machines and pieces you use to make the catapult.
 Design Plan

 6 large popsicle sticks

 One plastic spoon

 8 zip ties

 One large binder clip

 Regular marshmallow as my bullet

(diagram of catapult on back of paper)

 Data Analysis

Distance Time Angle Vx Vy Vi

7m 1.20 s 45.24 degrees 5.83 m/s 5.88 m/s 8.28 m/s
6m 1.64 s 65.51 degrees 3.66m/s 8.036 m/s 8.83 m/s
5m 2.16 s 77.68 degrees 2.31 m/s 10.58 m/s 10.83 m/s

To find initial velocity of this projectile I took the square root of Vx^2 and Vy^2. Changing the angle of

my trajectory would also change the velocity in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.

Changing the angle would affect the initial velocity because as angles increase up to 90degrees, the hang

time and max height will also increase determining the initial velocity.
 Conclusion

Throughout this project I have learned many things including what a projectile is and the science

behind it. I also learned what components need to be taken into consideration when building a catapult.

My project worked because the binder clip, which was attached to the popsicle sticks, allowed the

popsicle sticks to bend backward forming the angle the marshmallow was launched from. Some errors

that led to my project not working as planned was the marshmallow did not securely fit into the spoon

which could have been an influence on the results. Some examples of real life projectiles are shooting a

basketball into the hoop or shooting a gun at a target.