Catapult Lab Report
The goal of our project was to launch a marble as accurately as possible and to calculate the initial velocity and angle of the catapult. In the beginning when we began testing, we had to find a way to keep our data stable and accurate, but that was a bit hard because the amount of force put onto the catapult differs at each trial and also did the angle of flight. Overall, I would say that, our data were accurate in trials 1,2 and 4, but not 3 because I that trial, we used a bit more force to launch the marble which created a drastic difference between the trials in the distanced in covered in the velocity it had. If our data was compared to a speedometer I would say that our data would not be the same as what the speedometer collected. When
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doing the experiment and calculating the length and height of the marble’s launch, we would estimate where the marble sanded and what was its maximum height. We didn’t use an equipment that gave us accurate statistics, which would resolve in giving us the true initial velocity and angle of the catapult.
Throughout our project, we were able to detect sources of errors that influenced the data that we collected being estimations in the maximum height that the marble reached, and the different angles of the catapult.
Although we had two witnesses to see where the marble actually went, the answers given were all different and varied. Also, the position of the catapult and the force put upon it varied each trial. In our project, we did not place the catapult at the same angled because its position so it can launch, we to stood the catapult up and pull oppositely the spoon to launch the marble. Some solution to these errors can be that we could change the structure of our catapult design. Instead of the base of the catapult being a triangle shape, we can instead have it as a square and build up so it can hold the spoon making the design a triangular prism like shown on the side. Where the arrow is placed, is where the spoon would be placed on with rubber bands adjusting it to be attached to the catapults whole base so it can be touching the floor. We can also use a ruler to measure the height of the tip of the spoon to the ground and a protractor to then measure its angle. This would improve in giving us a more stabled launch patter and having the same angle in flight. For calculating the maximum height the marbled reached when being launched, we can use a camera of high speed in which we can go back and see the footage in slow motion so see correctly what height the marble
reached. This will help solve this problem and be able to accurately receive data that will give us the true initial velocity and angle of the catapult.
doing the experiment and calculating the length and height of the marble’s launch, we would estimate where the marble sanded and what was its maximum height. We didn’t use an equipment that gave us accurate statistics, which would resolve in giving us the true initial velocity and angle of the catapult.
Throughout our project, we were able to detect sources of errors that influenced the data that we collected being estimations in the maximum height that the marble reached, and the different angles of the catapult.
Although we had two witnesses to see where the marble actually went, the answers given were all different and varied. Also, the position of the catapult and the force put upon it varied each trial. In our project, we did not place the catapult at the same angled because its position so it can launch, we to stood the catapult up and pull oppositely the spoon to launch the marble. Some solution to these errors can be that we could change the structure of our catapult design. Instead of the base of the catapult being a triangle shape, we can instead have it as a square and build up so it can hold the spoon making the design a triangular prism like shown on the side. Where the arrow is placed, is where the spoon would be placed on with rubber bands adjusting it to be attached to the catapults whole base so it can be touching the floor. We can also use a ruler to measure the height of the tip of the spoon to the ground and a protractor to then measure its angle. This would improve in giving us a more stabled launch patter and having the same angle in flight. For calculating the maximum height the marbled reached when being launched, we can use a camera of high speed in which we can go back and see the footage in slow motion so see correctly what height the marble
reached. This will help solve this problem and be able to accurately receive data that will give us the true initial velocity and angle of the catapult.