Create a square shaped base using Popsicle sticks, rubber bands, wooden stick, a piece of straw and glue. This can adjusted based on any available cardboard box. Observations and results We were also greatly helped by a website that we found about trebuchets: http://www.stormthecastle.com/trebuchet/how-to-make-a-trebuchet-out-of-popsicle-sticks.htm. And let it dry for a while to strengthen the structure. Step 4: X Thanks! The trebuchet competition requires that a projectile (usually a tennis ball) be thrown via a sling at a cardboard castle. They can use a counterweight to launch a 90 kg projectile over 300 meters. The length of the lever arm: Both the overall length and the ratio between the distance from the pivot to the counterweight and the pivot to the sling. You can control the point at which the sling opens and the projectile releases by bending the release pin nail: bend it more if the projectile flies too high and bend it less if the projectile flies too low. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Use two long pieces and one half-piece to form an A but make sure you cross the long pieces slightly at the top to form a miniature "V" shape. Easy DIY Instructions on Making a Popsicle Stick Catapult. Physics, engineering, potential energy, kinetic energy, conservation of energy. This catapult works by storing elastic potential energythe type of energy you get from stretching something such as a rubber band or a springand rapidly converting it to kinetic energy (the energy of motion) of a projectile (in that case a cotton ball). A well-built trebuchet should be able to hurl an eraser a few feet. If you have trouble with the trebuchet releasing the projectile at the right time, you can adjust the weight of the counterweight or remount the swing arm through a different hole. If the axle extends past the frame, you may wish to affix cotter pins or caps to its ends to keep it from slipping out when you launch projectiles. Secure it in place with rubber bands. Thanks for reading Scientific American. Think of this as an engineering design projectthere is no single right answer or correct way to build the trebuchet. Simple Homemade Popsicle Stick Catapult for Kids Science. Glue one popsicle stick to one of the points of the triangle and glue the other end to where it bisects the opposing side. Create a structure as shown below. Do not get discouraged if at first your trebuchet launches the eraser straight up in the air or fails to release it at all. Repeat until you have nine sets of tripled popsicle sticks. Depending on exactly how you built your trebuchet, the results you see will vary. Make a small loop on one end of the wire and attach some string to the loop. One must make sure that the holes in the washers are big enough for the pencil to fit through. Make a simple desktop catapult using popsicle sticks and rubber bands. Place the pencil into the two V notches on top of your A-frame pieces. Fun with learning. You can go through the step 1 of first method and follow the same. Storm The Castle -Creativity and lots of projects you can make! What happens if you bend the paper clip so it is straighter or more curved or if it is cut to be shorter? Glue the pieces together as shown in the picture, forming an "A" shape with a small notch at the top. Round Pencils (as an axle) The straw and pencil form a pivot and should allow the arm to rotate. You should be able to tinker with your design a bit to get your eraser to launch. Assemble all your materials in a location that is open and clear of people, animals or breakable objects so that you can test your trebuchet. These can be 1/2 the length of either the uprights or of the long base pieces. Hang the eraser from the paper clip hook. Craft Stick Catapult " Do It And How. If you plan to use your trebuchet indoors, youll want to make a small trebuchet. What if you glue multiple popsicle sticks together to make a longer arm? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. When you pull down on the eraser, this causes the battery to lift up in the air, giving it (gravitational) potential energy. Now you might need to tinker with your trebuchet in order to get the best launch. If built right, the superior siege weapon can fire a 90 kg projectile over 300 m. Will a trebuchet be a superior siege weapon? Bring the swing arm of the trebuchet down so that the counterweight is in the air. By using our site, you agree to our. Curious about the science? If any of the joints seem weak or the frame wobbles significantly, reinforce them with tape, glue, or rubber bands. Creativity in fantasy, how to write, make video games, play classical guitar and do creative things. Yeah you can use screw eyes there. A toy trebuchet might seem harmless, but even a small projectile can cause eye damage. If that is too complex then go with the Popsicle Stick Trebuchet. Take five popsicle sticks and cut one of them in half. (This distance is something you can try adjusting later.). You should be able to tinker with your design a bit (see recommendations at the end of the procedure) to get your eraser to launch. 3 Ways to Build a Basic Catapult wikiHow. The triangle spikes, which serve to keep the triangle from slipping when it hits the ground, are most visible in the front and side views. Remove the eraser from the pencil and attach it to a small loop of string. 6. If you have any LEGOs about the house, I bet you could use them in place of the popsicle sticks. X Virtually every object that you see around you has passed through the hands of a mechanical engineer. Physics Store. In the Middle Ages armies would use them to hurl stones at castle walls. Active Time 15 minutes. Use only soft projectiles for an indoor trebuchet, and for an outdoor trebuchet, make sure to have a wide open space in front of the siege engine. What happens if you make the sling longer or shorter? Popsicle stick Whipper Trebuchet 33,309 views Mar 21, 2019 374 Dislike Share Save NumaVIG 58.3K subscribers How to make mini Whipper Trebuchet out of popsicle sticks easy. The straw and pencil form a pivot and should allow the arm to rotate. It is a kind of modified, huge catapult mounted Make a Trebuchet in 2 hours Make Make DIY https://youtube.com/watch?v=dT_C-0IXDZg Build a Mini Trebuchet Scientific American These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. (I used coins See step 10 on how to make a counter weight) Electrical Tape It will have two "A-frame" shaped pieces on the sides and one crossbar on the top. I made one to and it shot abuot 15 yards :), Thank You. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Final product must collapse to fit a 38 cm x 30 cm x 25 cm (15 in. Catapult or trebuchet shows creativity and launches a large marshmallow. How to Make a Popsicle Stick Mini Trebuchet. There is more than one way to do this, so the procedure described here is just one method. (This distance is something you can try adjusting later.). Trebuchets are superior to catapults, balistias, and all other siege weapons invented in its era. When the counterweight falls, it will drag the eraser along the ground and then pull it up into the air. Never aim projectiles at people or animals. I don't think you should use this website to get follows from people, this is about education. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. Storm the Castle. Now it is time to test your trebuchet. (The bowl on an ice cream scoop would work well for a smaller-sized catapult.) For example, you could decide to build the entire frame out of pencils instead of popsicle sticks and you can choose whether you want to use tape, glue, or rubber bands to secure the different joints. Do this by using a Popsicle stick and placing two other sticks at an angle on either side of this stick, then place another popsicle stick over it to fortify the pillar. You can modify your design based on your own ideas and the materials you have available. It relies on gravitational potential energythe type of energy you get by raising something up off the ground. If you made the long base pieces 1 foot (30 cm) long, they would be 10 to 12 inches (24 to 30 cm) long. Super Glue 3. But did you know about an even bigger type of medieval siege weapon called a trebuchet? SWE Blog provides up-to-date information and news about the Society and how our members are making a difference every day. Build a miniature trebuchet catapult perfect for school science project because this activity offers a great visual demonstration on how it works. Double-Sided Tape 4. This activity brought to you in partnership with Science Buddies. Step 1: Parts of the Walking Arm Trebuchet These diagrams show the names I will be using for the trebuchet parts in the following steps. Consequently, their skills are in demand to design millions of different products in almost every type of industry. on Step 11, About: I am an A-Levels Student at Karachi Grammar School, Pakistan. This catapult worked by storing elastic potential energythe type of energy you get from stretching something such as a rubber band or a springand rapidly converting it to kinetic energy (the energy of motion) of a projectile (in that case a cotton ball). POPSICLE STICK CATAPULT Bowling Green State University. Create your free account or Sign in to continue. 9. Think of this as an engineering design projectthere is no single "right answer" or correct way to build the trebuchet. Popsicle sticks Binder clip Hot glue Bottle cap Directions: 1. Then the counterweight is allowed to fall, rotating the lever arm and converting that potential into kinetic energy in the projectile, which is flung through the air. Tie an elastic band around the middle of the cross. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2d\/Build-a-Trebuchet-Step-1Bullet1.jpg\/v4-460px-Build-a-Trebuchet-Step-1Bullet1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2d\/Build-a-Trebuchet-Step-1Bullet1.jpg\/aid4325264-v4-728px-Build-a-Trebuchet-Step-1Bullet1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"