Watch out below! Mr. Keller’s Honors Physics classes constructed their own catapults and took measurements of the flying ball’s trajectories. A catapult uses physics forces, like stored energy, which hurls the projectile, without the use of an explosive. Students learned about the impact of tension, torsion, air resistance, and gravity, forces that would affect how far the ball would fly. This proved to be a timely lesson, as students just completed a history unit on the Middle Ages! No group could spend over $20 total on their catapult and extra credit was given for the most inexpensive catapult. Students launched three tennis balls at targets at 5m, 10m, and 20m, scoring points based on distance and accuracy. Now that they have launched, they are creating digital scientific posters highlighting their design process and results. The best poster/catapult communications will participate in the Science Fair.
