Catapult Investigations

Catapult Investigations

Planning:

Aim - This project involves testing a catapult by using a rubber band

to catapult a mass using various forces. Our aim is to choose and

investigate variables of our choice and its effects using a simple

catapult.

Preliminary method -

1. Using a tripod, a rubber band and a long sheet of paper set a

catapult.

2. Test it and observe which variables you will keep constant and

which you will change.

3. Record the preliminary results into a table.

4. Write up your predicted outcomes.

Diagram for the preliminary experiment - Bird's eye view of the

experiment

Preliminary work results -

Extension (cm)

Distance travelled (cm)

1

0

2

1.2

3

3.5

4

In this preliminary experiment, only 1 rubber band was used for the

extension.

6.5

5

11.9

6

19.5

7

[IMAGE]28.2

8

40.9

9

64.8

10

71.6

11

80

12

103.2

13

122.1

14

139.9

Preliminary graph -

Commenting on my preliminary work -

From the preliminary results and the graph I can already see a pattern

forming. The pattern is that the more force I apply the rubber band

(therefore moving back more on the scale), the length that the mass

travels also increases. This means that the force is proportional to

the distance that the mass travels after being catapulted. During this

experiment I kept everything constant and only changed the force

(pulling back from various distances).

I only got one set of results and therefore I wasn't able to get very

reliable evidence as there was no mean I could calculate from more

than one set of results but hopefully this preliminary work I carried