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Catapult

The document explains the concept of a catapult, a device used to launch objects and observe projectile motion. It discusses the forces acting on a catapult, including gravity and air resistance, and illustrates Newton's third law of motion through the catapult's operation. Additionally, it provides a list of materials needed to build a catapult and a demonstration of its functionality.

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Duaa Hashmi
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12 views11 pages

Catapult

The document explains the concept of a catapult, a device used to launch objects and observe projectile motion. It discusses the forces acting on a catapult, including gravity and air resistance, and illustrates Newton's third law of motion through the catapult's operation. Additionally, it provides a list of materials needed to build a catapult and a demonstration of its functionality.

Uploaded by

Duaa Hashmi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as KEY, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Forces acting on a

Catapult
By: Duaa
Table of contents.
Quick review

What is a catapult

What you need to make a catapult

Demonstration

Forces acting on a catapult

Newton’s third law

The end
Quick review
What is force?

Rate of change of momentum is called force Or a push or pull


upon an object resulting from its interaction with another
object

What can a force do?

A force can :

Make a stationary body move

Change the speed / shape / size of the body.


What is a Catapult?
A catapult is a device used
to launch a object to a great
distance

A catapult is a launching
device that allows us to
experimentally observe
projectile motion.
What you need to make a
catapult
6 pencils

1 plastic spoon

1 Pom Pom/ marshmallow

Rubber bands

Tape
Demonstration of the
Catapult
Forces acting on a catapult
Gravity: when the object is
released from the catapult it
accelerates in a direction
opposite to “y” because of
the gravity. Without the
gravity the object launched
would never come down,
instead it would keep
moving in a upward
direction.
Forces acting on a
Catapult
Air resistance affects the movement of a falling
object by slowing it down. How much it slows the
object depends on the surface area of the object
and its speed.

As the forward force of the catapult is more than


the air resistance, the object can move in a forward
direction. The object continues to move in a
forward direction until the forward force is balanced
with the air resistance. Gradually, the air resistance
and gravity will overpower the forward force of the
catapult hence putting the object to rest.
Newton’s third law
The catapult was a
demonstration of Newton’s
third law, which states that “
For every action there is an
equal and opposite reaction”

Pulling back the lever is the


action, and flinging forward
the object is the reaction.
In conclusion
A catapult is a launching device that allows us to
experimentally observe projectile motion. Once the ball is
launched, the only forces acting are gravity and air
resistance. Gravity accelerates the object in the negative
“y” direction. Air resistance accelerates the object in the
opposite direction of travel.
The End

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