The Trebuchet:
The physics of the Trebuchet
The trebuchet is a simple counterweight system where one large arm has leather tied on to one side which carries the projectile and a large basket with weight on the other side that could be just solid wood or rocks. Then you tie down the other side with the projectiles and using a crank system bring it down then on release the weighted section goes down swinging the arm through the air. The projectiles in the leather pouch are then thrown through the air. The distance is determined by where they fly out of the pouch and the amount of weight in the trebuchet. For a longer distance you would want more weight and you would want the projectile to fly out of the pouch at the peak of its swing or right before so that it can ark through the air. Or for a shorter distance saying your enemies are closer then you'd want less weight and then the release point you'd want it to be closer to the tallest point of the swing or slightly after. This way it's going to go downward the whole flight. Here is a website that talks about the physics of the trebuchet http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00627/phy.html
The trebuchet is a simple counterweight system where one large arm has leather tied on to one side which carries the projectile and a large basket with weight on the other side that could be just solid wood or rocks. Then you tie down the other side with the projectiles and using a crank system bring it down then on release the weighted section goes down swinging the arm through the air. The projectiles in the leather pouch are then thrown through the air. The distance is determined by where they fly out of the pouch and the amount of weight in the trebuchet. For a longer distance you would want more weight and you would want the projectile to fly out of the pouch at the peak of its swing or right before so that it can ark through the air. Or for a shorter distance saying your enemies are closer then you'd want less weight and then the release point you'd want it to be closer to the tallest point of the swing or slightly after. This way it's going to go downward the whole flight. Here is a website that talks about the physics of the trebuchet http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00627/phy.html
Watch to see how a Trebuchet works.
The main part of the trebuchet is the counterweight. It uses gravity to pull the counterweight downward propelling the projectile(s) through the air.
Now here's the Trebuchet in action.
Seige weapons.
Trebuchets were used to attack and defend keeps or castles hundreds of years ago. This was because they used a counterweight system they could launch projectiles farther and more accurately, and they could also throw larger projectiles than catapults because if you wanted a larger projectile you just needed more leather and rope. The counterweight system worked better because it enabled the arm to increase its speed and gain kinetic energy as the counterweight dropps it also was taller than a catapult.