TREBUCHET

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The purpose of this project was to propel an object at targets that are different distances away. Our group, which was Elizaveta, Alex, and I, were to build a model and conduct several tests to be able to control and adjust the accuracy of our machine.

The project requirements were that groups were to build a structure designed to hit targets at different ranges and for the structure to have adjustable features to be able to hit multiple targets.

The challenges were to reach the distance of 1, 2, and 3 meters, and hit targets of different sizes, small, medium, and large, all under the time limit of 5 minutes.

Although during the trials, our structure's throw travelled the distance of 1.5 meters, in the first field testing, our structure was unable to propel an object to the 1 meter mark using a rock as the counterweight.

In the second field testing, our structure was able to passed the 1 meter mark! And our results were consistent and stable.

In the third and final launch, our structure was able to knock down a tower at the 1 meter basket and hit indirectly at the cardboard. To improve our results next time, we would test more of the 2 meter and 3 meter targets to figure out exactly how heavy the counterweight needs to be, as well as figure out how to place the counterweight inside the basket so that it is perfectly balanced on all sides. A design change we would make is to make the arm tilt to the sides less. It made it hard to aim precisely.

The most challenging part of the building process was to rebuild and rebuild our structure for it to actually work. We overcame the challenge by not giving up and having hope that it will work the next time. The most difficult aspect to control while launching the object is to aim at the target precisely with the correct weight as the counterweight.

From this past year, I think I learnt the most from was the balloon structure. I learnt about how structures can be powered by different things, even start moving by itself with its own power source other than us pushing. In a future situations, I would use the information we learnt in this class by understanding how different powered machines in life work, well in a broad and generalized way. I think the main 2 skills that I learnt from this class is patience and persistence, very important life skills.