Trebuchet physics pdf mechanics

Your job is to optimize the trebuchet length parameters with the goal of maximizing the energy transfer to the projectile. Requires a python compiler, and the python modules for math, gtk, pygame, random, and numpy. History and mechanics of the trebuchet the trebuchet from the crossbow by sir ralph paynegallwey 1903 fig. Siano, in his analysis of trebuchet physics trebuchet mechanics, march 28, 2001, the optimal release position and design, based on his definition of range efficiency is such that. Millennial mechanics and biomechanics problems william g. Figure 2, below, shows a diagram of a trebuchet with the main parts labeled. A trebuchet is a siege engine that transfers gravitational energy into kinetic energy. History of the trebuchet the trebuchet was first invented in china around 500 to 300 b. Pla and lagrangian workflow pdf solving equations of motion nb with ndsolve in mathematica.

Geometry, physics, detailed derivation of equations. These are the sources and citations used to research trebuchet physics. The trebuchet relied on gravity to throw projectiles stones, unliked messangers, and dead animals. Theres quite a lot of mechanics going on when dealing with trebuchets, so they are pretty good as physics examples. The catapult has proven to be a very effective weapon during ancient times, capable of inflicting great damage. Pdf the trebuchet is a hardware architecture for machines implemented from. Thats why, when building a trebuchet, it is essential that you fabricate a wide, sturdy base that is capable of withstanding bending and. Trebuchet design physics tutorial with tuning guidelines duration.

Describes the workings of a medieval trebuchet catapult. What is the physics behind a counterweight trebuchet. When youve finished your trebuchet project, turn on your call light and your instructor will issue you a goal post and tape measure to record the longest field goal you can make with your project. The stone is in the sling and the engine is about to be discharged by pulling the sliphook off the end of the arm. A medieval siege engine first built to assist in territorial battles, the trebuchet was an improvement over the catapult. The physics behind the trebuchet by noah evans on prezi. When considering physics aspects to the trebuchet, air resistance is assumed to be negligible so that the only force acting on the projectile after it leaves the swinging arm is the gravity. This projects aim was to model the mechanics of one such engine by use of an euler method as opposed to the more common lagrangian form. It consists of a beam of mass m2 which is pinned at the point o the origin of the xyzcoordinate system, and henceforth referred to as the fulcrum at some distance h0 above the ground. The floatingarm type is distinct from the ordinary trebuchet in that its arm has no fixed pivot. A sling is simply a piece of cloth or looped strap in which a stone is whirled and then let fly. The word trebuchet derives from a middle french word meaning overturn, and its structure comes from an ancient variation of the sling. The trebuchet itself is a simple device, easy and forgiving to build, and entirely powered by gravity.

The physics behind this weapon are simple in concept, but complex in detail. Morse and feshbach, methods of theoretical physics. Effect of trebuchet arm length or counterweight mass on. Physics of the trebuchet the trebuchet is actually two things a lever and a sling. A trebuchet is a device that converts potential energy to kinetic energy from basic physics we know that the range of a projectile with initial velocity v and angle. This is a huge off balance and can cause the trebuchet to tip or even break. History of the trebuchet history and mechanics of the. Very little has been published 1,2 on the physics involved in the design of the device, which has done almost entirely by empirical methods. Catapult physics is basically the use of stored energy to hurl a projectile the payload, without the use of an explosive.

This report takes a look at the mechanics of the trebuchet, with the goal to find out what happens to. Most firstyear students have not completed a college dynamics course, but have knowledge of basic physics. Welcome to the original version of virtualtrebuchet. A trebuchet is a siege engine that was invented in the middle ages either to smash masonry walls or to throw projectiles over them. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on sunday, march 15, 2015 ebook or pdf. The trebuchet is a large siege weapon that you might recognize from movies set in the middle ages or fantasy worlds. Inspired by the great war machines and siege catapults of leonardo da vinci, this all red oak hardwood trebuchet features an open counterweight cabinet for range and trajectory adjustment fire with an empty counterweight for indoor use, or add weight nuts, bolts, scrap lead, iron or steel, sand, or small rocks not. The physics behind a trebuchet are more complicated than the mechanism would suggest. On one side of the beam, at a distance r1 from the fulcrum, is a counterweight of mass m1. Classical mechanics ii, project follow through mit. This analogy is drawn in, trebuchet versus flinger. This becomes simple lever physics, but you also dont want to have the fulcrum too close to the counterweight, or your mechanical. From basic physics we know that the range of a projectile with initial velocity. It also used leverage and a sling for greater efficiency.

A lever is a simple machine that gives a mechanical advantage when given a fulcrum, or pivot point. Physics stack exchange is a question and answer site for active researchers, academics and students of physics. Trebuchet mechanics the algorithmic beauty of the trebuchet. It starts with elementary blackbox and seesaw models, and builds gradually to the full model that includes a sliding, constrained sling. Homework statement the trebuchet is a siege engine that was employed in the middle ages to smash castle walls or to lob projectiles over them. Abstract the trebuchet was an immense counterpoise siege engine that became the artillery weapon of choice throughout the middle ages. Lagranges equations the trebuchet has quickly become a favorite project for physics and engineering teachers seeking to provide students with a simple but spectacular handson design project. We will first describe the geometry of the full model, including the hinged counterweight and the sliding sling.

It is often used to move heavy loads with less effort. The trebuchet or ingenium and its cultural relevancy 3000 bce to 21st see sci. The three primary energy storage mechanisms are tension, torsion, and gravity. The first of these, a black box model in which the mechanism for the. It takes the force of gravity and uses it to fling an object. The length of the long arm of the beam on the payload side. The arm is fully wound down and the tackle of the windlass is detached from in. A simple project which attempts to emulate real life in the launching of a trebuchet. While there are a few surviving drawings of the device, including those of. The trebuchet relies on the principle that stored potential energy of the counterweight can be converted into kinetic energy of the payload. Harter department of physics university of arkansas fayetteville, ar 72701 the trebuchet or ingenium was introduced to western civilization before the tenth century.

Fortunately, such an optimization is greatly simplified given that trebuchet physics can be modeled with computers, saving a lot of time. Final year project the mechanics of the trebuchet matt taggart 1. The main reason for doing this is to permit the counterweight to move. It does this by the use of a counterweight that falls. Students in this class have to build a small trebuchet demonstrate that it. The physics of the release mechanism is also described in some detail, and the dependence of the range on the finger angle and the coefficients of friction is given. A heavy weight of mass m falls under gravity, and thereby lifts a lighter weight of. Throughout this tutorial students learn basics of adamsview and get acquainted with some aspects of trebuchet design.

According to donald b siano in his analysis of trebuchet. The fabric pouch was replaced with a plastic spoon superglued to the top of the trebuchet arm. Learning the mechanics behind a trebuchet is no different than learning the mechanics of other simple machines, but provides a much more rich illustration of the. In addition the background physics behind this type of trebuchet involved differentials and appeared to be too complicated for this level. A trebuchet uses potential energy which gets converted to kinetic energy. Learn how to use the conservation of mechanical energy equation by solving a trebuchet problem. This years project will be aimed an using lagrangian mechanics to understand a medieval marvel of engineering. Students who successfully construct and test the trebuchet will get a catapult project to construct and. There are three types of levers, a first class lever is like.

Myo make your own gumball trebuchet out of cardboard duration. See more ideas about catapult, floating arm trebuchet and physics projects. Designing a trebuchet optimizing weight and length the. Simple as it seems, the trebuchet is a complicated dynamical system. Introductory conservation of mechanical energy problem.

A trebuchet is a device that converts potential energy to kinetic energy. By placing the fulcrum much closer to the counterweight end, a higher linear velocity can be achieved by the projectile. A trebuchet, also sometimes called a trebucket is a medieval siege engine, a weapon employed either to batter masonry or to throw projectiles over walls. This weapon is built on the idea of converting potential energy into kinetic energy to hurl a projectile over a large distance. First you do do work on the system by pulling back the throwing arm analogous with compressing a spring. When a trebuchet is being launched, there is a massive amount on one end of the trebuchet. Build a trebuchet students in the introductory mechanics course at carthage designed and built a trebuchet, a medieval counterweight catapult whose history is shrouded in mystery. The floatingarm trebuchet the illustration above gives a diagram of a floatingarm trebuchet. A counterweight trebuchet, a medieval compound machine. The trebuchet was then modified so that the projectile was fired every time and could easily be analysed. In the middle ages, the heavy throwweight launcher of choice was the trebuchet. When the heavy mass, attached to the short end of the pivoted beam, is released and falls, the projectile, which is in a sling fastened to the other end of the beam, begins to acquire a high velocity. With his model, the most efficient model was determined to be the floating arm trebuchet, with a range efficiency of 0.