Both throw something heavy a long distance but what separates the two?
In: 5
Imagine you want to launch something with a spoon.
A catapult would be: grab the handle of the spoon in one hand, and hold it so that the scoop part is upright. Use your other hand to pull back the top of the spoon, but try to keep the spoon upright with your first hand. When you release, the spoon should snap back into upright position. (If you’ve ever flung mashed potatoes at a sibling, you will be very familiar with this method.)
A trebuchet would be: set the spoon down on the counter, but put something under the handle so that the spoon can seesaw back and forth. Pick up a heavy object, and drop it on one side of the spoon.
The mechanics can get a lot more complicated, but that’s the fundamental difference. A catapult work with tension. A trebuchet works by dropping a heavy object.
Latest Answers