Purpose
Since childhood I have found medieval weapons incredibly interesting. I have always wondered how they work. The physics behind them. From all these weapons, the one that captivated my attention the most were the projectile – based weapons. Due to this passionate interest I investigated weapons of this type. This included crossbows, slings, bows, trebuchets, catapults, javalins, between others [1].
The one that intrigued me the most was a siege engine, the trebuchet, due to its potential to destroy fortifications with ease because it was able to throw 160 kg projectiles [2]. The difference between the trebuchet and other siege engines is that the trebuchet uses a counter weight to provide the energy needed to throw the projectile (Figure …show more content…
What is a Trebuchet?
A trebuchet is a siege weapon that throws a projectile by using energy of a raised conterweight. On Figure 3 there is a labeled diagram of the physical parts of a trebuchet.
A beam is attached to an axle. The shorter end of the beam has a counter weight attached to it. The other end of the beam has a sling connected to a pouch which holds the payload. In basic terms the shorter end of the beam, which has the counterweight, is raised while the long end is lowered. The sling is attached to a trigger. When the trigger is released, the counterweight falls, making the pouch raise. There will be a point where the payload will leave the pouch and begin its projectile motion.
The first appeareance of the trebuchet recorded was in the 12th century. Niketas Choniates, a Byzantine historian, describes the trebuchet used by Andronikos I Komnenos, future Byzantine Emperor. Nowadays trebuchets just serve for research or educational purposes. [7]
[8]
Variables
Independent– Arm length of trebuchet.
Dependent – Horizontal Displacement of projectile.
Controlled –
• Counter weight mass
• Height of
Since childhood I have found medieval weapons incredibly interesting. I have always wondered how they work. The physics behind them. From all these weapons, the one that captivated my attention the most were the projectile – based weapons. Due to this passionate interest I investigated weapons of this type. This included crossbows, slings, bows, trebuchets, catapults, javalins, between others [1].
The one that intrigued me the most was a siege engine, the trebuchet, due to its potential to destroy fortifications with ease because it was able to throw 160 kg projectiles [2]. The difference between the trebuchet and other siege engines is that the trebuchet uses a counter weight to provide the energy needed to throw the projectile (Figure …show more content…
What is a Trebuchet?
A trebuchet is a siege weapon that throws a projectile by using energy of a raised conterweight. On Figure 3 there is a labeled diagram of the physical parts of a trebuchet.
A beam is attached to an axle. The shorter end of the beam has a counter weight attached to it. The other end of the beam has a sling connected to a pouch which holds the payload. In basic terms the shorter end of the beam, which has the counterweight, is raised while the long end is lowered. The sling is attached to a trigger. When the trigger is released, the counterweight falls, making the pouch raise. There will be a point where the payload will leave the pouch and begin its projectile motion.
The first appeareance of the trebuchet recorded was in the 12th century. Niketas Choniates, a Byzantine historian, describes the trebuchet used by Andronikos I Komnenos, future Byzantine Emperor. Nowadays trebuchets just serve for research or educational purposes. [7]
[8]
Variables
Independent– Arm length of trebuchet.
Dependent – Horizontal Displacement of projectile.
Controlled –
• Counter weight mass
• Height of