Catapult Activity

We typically think of a catapult as

something that was used in the Middle
Ages to destroy the walls of a castle as in
the poster shown here. But Catapults have
a very long history dating long before the
time of castles and they were developed
and designed in many different ways by
many different cultures over the centuries.
What is a catapult? The general
definition is that a catapult is a machine
that stores energy then quickly releases the
energy to fire a projectile. To be a catapult
the machine generally has to be too large
for a person to carry. If we just used the
storage and release of energy to define a
catapult then a longbow would also fit this
definition. So the size of the machine is
important.
How did catapults develop? Catapults are
an offshoot of the Crossbow. Over time
crossbows got larger and larger. They went
from being a hand-held weapon to
something called the Belly- Bow which
were so large they had to be braced against
Catapult
a knight's belly. From there they got even
Buy From Art.com larger and became something called a
stand crossbow where they were mounted
on stands. Eventually they got large enough to be defined as something in their own right and no
longer crossbows. This size change also brought about
changes in how they operated.
When did the first catapults appear and whe re? The
earliest writings of catapults were that they originated in
China around the 3rd and 4th Century BC and this type of
catapult was much like a big crossbow. They stood
around 8 feet tall. The illustration here shows this early
type of catapult. You can see by the design that it is a
natural extension of the crossbow. It is pretty much a very
big crossbow! But the unique development that turns it
into what we consider to be a catapult is the swinging
arm. This is mounted on a pivot and thus we have a
catapult. The crossbow string itself is not used to fire the
projectile; it is used to move the arm which holds the
projectile.
 Catapult Activity
Vocabulary:

acceleration: an increase in rate of change

balanced force: two forces that are equal in size and opposite in direction
catapult: an engine that provided medieval artillery used during sieges; a heavy war engine
for hurling large stones and other missiles
elastic energy: the energy which causes or is released by the elastic distortion of a solid or
liquid
kinetic energy: maximum kinetic energy is when an object is at the mean position and
minimum at the extreme position
mass: the property of a body that causes it to have weight in a gravitational field
Newton’s Laws of Motion: three physical laws that form the basis for classical mec hanics.
They are:
o 1) In the absence of a net force, a body either is at rest or moves in a straight line

with constant speed.

o 2) A body experiencing a force F experiences an acceleration a related to F by F

= ma, where m is the mass of the body. Alternatively, force is equal to the time
derivative of momentum.
o 3) Whenever a first body exerts a force F on a second body, the second body

exerts a force -F on the first body. F and -F are equal in magnitude and opposite
in direction.
potential ene rgy: maximum potential energy is when an object is at the extreme position
and minimum at the mean position
trebuchet: a trebuchet or trebucket is a siege engine that was employed in the Middle
Ages either to smash masonry walls or to throw projectiles over them
unbalanced force: an unopposed force that causes a change in motion
 Catapult Activity
Part I: Designing your catapult

Develop a set of “blue prints” for the construction of your catapult. Your blueprint needs to
show an accurate representation of your design as shown from a top view and a side view.
Below are two examples of what to do. Remember, just because you sketch a particular design,
doesn’t mean that you have to build or commit to that design. As you begin the process, you may
find that you need to tweak certain elements of your design based on the materials you are given
and functionality. Remember that you can build your device however you would like, but it must
be free standing. Thinking outside of the box is a BIG PLUS!!!

Remember that your blueprint is what you want your catapult to look like as well as how it will
function. As you begin to build your catapult you may find that you need to change various
parts in order for it to function. That is fine.

YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON YOUR CATAPULT UNTIL YOU
HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR BLUEPRINTS!
**Blueprint = 20 points (10 for top view, 10 for side view)**
When constructing your catapult you need to keep in mind the overall purpose:

Efficiency
o How difficult is your catapult to load and release?
o How quickly can your catapult be reloaded?
Distance
o What angle do you need your catapult to release your marshmallow to obtain
the maximum distance?
Accuracy
o Can you adjust your catapult’s tension to launch your marshmallow different
distances?

For your catapult to function correctly during this activity, it must include a trigger mechanism
to release the launching arm. You cannot hold the launching arm in the ready position. You
must have a release switch.
Catapult Activity
 Catapult Activity
Part II: Construction of your catapult
All students will have the following materials available for use:
Shoe box (various sizes)
Mouse trap (1)
Rubber bands (various sizes, maximum of 4 per group)
Clothes pins (2 per group)
Duct tape (2 feet per group)
Masking tape (3 feet per group)
Wooden rods (4 per group)
Craft sticks (4 large and 10 small per group)
Paper clips (2 large, 2 small per group)
String
Glue
Plastic spoon (one per group)
Straws
Springs
Fishing weights
Fishing string
One “jumbo” sized marshmallow for launch

You are not required to use all of the available materials to build your catapult. You will not be
allowed to bring in any extra items for use in building or launching your catapult. Any team
found to have extra items will be disqualified from the launch and will receive a grade of zero
for the entire project.
 Catapult Activity
Assessment:

Each student will write a paragraph that ans wers the following questions:
What was your group attempting to achieve with its catapult design?
How did the catapult set the marshmallow in motion?
Which challenge did your catapult meet best, accuracy or distance?
What could you have done to make the catapult better?
What helped the catapult work as well as it did?
What did this activity teach you about motion and forces?

Top view drawing of catapult design = 10 points

Side view drawing of catapult design = 10 points
Catapult launch distance = 6
Construction participation = 6
Launch participation = 6
Summary paragraph = 6
TOTAL PROJECT POINTS = 44

6 4 2 0
Catapult successfully Catapult successfully Catapult successfully Catapult did not
launched a launched a launched a successfully
marshmallow at least 5 marshmallow at least 3 marshmallow at least 1 launch a
feet. feet foot marshmallow at
least 1 foot
Actively participated in Did not
the design and participate in the
construction of the N/A N/A design or
catapult. construction of
the catapult.
Actively participated in Did not
the launching of the participate in the
N/A N/A
catapult launching of the
catapult.
Answered all six Answered 4-5 of the Answered 2-3 of the Answered 0-1 of
questions in a complete questions in a complete questions-paragraph the questions-
and thoughtful paragraph. not complete paragraph
paragraph incomplete or did
not do