My Mousetrap Catapult

I have very little experience in building catapults, so my first model was a bit shaky. However, I was able to finally construct a half decent catapult after numerous trials and errors. My first model was simply a spoon duct taped to the mousetrap, and set off with the pull of a string. I had no intention of this being my final model, I just wanted to see where the areas I needed to improve were. After the first shot I immediately noticed that without a heavy base, the force generated by the mousetrap was to great and it caused the catapult to flip. I then sawed a small rectangle of wood and glued it to the mousetrap in order to increase the stability, make it easier to hold, and also lift the catapult higher in order prevent the spoon from hitting the ground. After the second test shot, I noticed the catapult shot the ping pong ball very low to the ground and its initial contact with the ground was only a few feet away, and in addition to that, the spoon nicked the ground and nearly broke in half, so I knew I had to add a stopper that would prevent the spoon from hitting the ground and allow the ball to come off the catapult arched, which would maximize its distance. After the third try, the stopper definitely seemed to pay off and the ball traveled much faster. I was still unhappy with my catapult and tried thinking of a different way I could improve it. After several minutes of wondering, I thought maybe if I increased the length of the spoon, the ball would travel farther. So after removing the old spoon and taping a knife to it in order to make it larger, I tested it out and just like I predicted, it made the ball go even farther. This was surely the final product, but I continued to test it throughout the week, trying to see what I could improve. This morning before heading to school I decided to test it out just to assure myself it was the best catapult I could make, and just my luck, the spoon hits the table and shatters. I quickly re-taped a new knife and spoon, and tried to figure out where I went wrong. I noticed that because I increased the length of the spoon, I also had to increase the height of the stopper. After making the subtle change to my catapult I tested it out one last time, and thankfully my catapult at least stayed intact before I had to make my way onto the bus.

The History of Catapults

Catapults were essential to siege, especially in the Middle Ages. It was one of the most effective weapons of its time. The first version of a catapult was the Ballista, which was merely an enlarged crossbow. The word Ballista comes from the Greek word Ballistes meaning "to throw". The smaller version of the Ballista, but still larger than crossbow, was the Springald. It was mainly used in smaller confines like castles or towers, as opposed to the Ballista, which was used primarily out in the battlefield.
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The next developed version of the catapult was the Mangonel. It is the most known catapult and is typically what people think of when they hear "catapult". The Latin word "manganon" means engine of war. Though some argue the name comes from the mangon, a french hard stone found in southern France. This catapult had incredible range that had never really been introduced to the battlefield before, but the downside was it's for accuracy. That's why the Trebuchet was such a significant advancement.
 

The Trebuchet was one of the most hated siege weapons because of its massive range and massive force. The men who manned the Trebuchet were called "gynours" and were constantly being shot at by arrows and missles of the opposing army. It was also a lot more accurate than the Mangonel. Believed to have been created first by the chinese around 300 BC, the Trebuchet was later introduced to Europe around 500 AD. It continued to be used effectively through the 12th century in both Christian and Muslim lands. It died off at about the 15th century, well after the introduction of gunpowder. Renaud Beffeyte is credited with the first modern reconstruction of a Trebuchet in 1984, with the help of documents dating back to 1324. The most famous Trebuchet was the WarWolf designed and constructed by Master James of St. George the chief engineer of Edward I, the king of England from 1272 to 1307.