Thursday, February 3, 2011

Math Component:
A cannonball is shot upward from the upper deck of a fort with an initial velocity of 192 feet per second.  The deck is 32 feet above the ground. 

Quadratic Model: h = -16t2+192t+32
How high does the cannonball go?  608 feet
How long is the cannonball in the air? 12.16 seconds

Steps for Solving:
1. Plug 192 feet per second in for v0 and 32 feet for h0
2. Plug formula into calculator and graph
3. Go to the table and find the vertex of the graph (this is how high the cannonball went)
4. Using the quadratic formula, find the positive x-intercept (this is how long the cannonball was in the air)
5. Check your work



Launch Angle Choice:


We chose to use a 50 degree angle because we used predicted numbers for our cannon using a formula Mrs. Tyrpak provided for us (it was an altered version of the quadratic formula). We believe that if design permits the 50 degree angle will yield the most fruitful results.


Gas Law:


The gas law we used was Gay-Lussacs. The components in this cannon project are pressure and temperature. We aren't exactly sure about the exact numbers to use because we are unsure of the environmental conditions on the day we will be launching.


Design Choice:


We chose the design we did for multiple reasons. We chose to make a two chamber barrel because we will believe that it will increase the pressure exerted. We used a sturdier base so that wind conditions won't alter the cannon angle. We also made sure to place the weight in a way the cannon won't tip over.

Weapons or No Weapons?


Some arguments come in to play about the production of weapons. Many claim that without weapons the world would be a lot more peaceful, but would it? Think about law enforcement, they carry weapons on them daily. Without them, they would be missing a valuable piece of protection in law enforcement situations. Without the law enforcement we would have even more chaos then we do with weapons. I believe that in today’s world guns and weapons are necessary to keep a calm environment in our society.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Steps in Building the Cannon

 

1.       Collect all materials needed to construct your cannon.
2.       Take one of the tennis ball cans and cut it in half using the pair of scissors you collected.
3.       Then take one of the tennis ball caps and cut a small circle in the center of the cap.
4.       Using a small amount of duct tape to connect the two halves of the bottle, placing the cap with the small hole in the center so that is separates the two halves.
5.       Taking the other tennis ball can lid, cut it so that you get a half circle piece

6.       Then take the remaining portion of the left over bottle and cut off the metal ring at the top.
7.       Cut the ring in half
8.       Punch to small holes in the bottle of the barrel so that the two half metal rings can be inserted.

9.       Then take the half circle piece of the tennis ball can cap and attach more towards the top of the barrel as shown in the photo.

10.   Adjust the legs and plastic to make the barrel be directed in a 50 degree angle.

11.   Finish securing any loose pieces with duct tape.

Cannon History

Pre 1800’s-

The Moorish Cannon
1.       The first metal cannon were the pot-de-fer. A bolt like projectile was loaded into the cannon, most likely wrapped in leather to give the projectile more force. It was set off through a touch hole with a heated wire.
2.       The weapon wasn’t used very regularly, as it was bulky and wasn’t practical to move in battle. The first time cannons were ever truly used in European warfare was in the Hundred Years War alongside similarly designed cannons.
3.       These cannons were not used often, but played roles in wars like the Hundred Years war which was waged between two English and French groups. This war played a huge role in the reconstruction of the social structure in Europe.

The Atlatl

1. The atlatl is one of the earliest recored "cannons". All it basically was was a wooden device that a human would hold to launch their spears forward to produce a faster speed and a longer throwing distance.
2. The weapon did not cost anything to make, because at the times it was used currency was not in existence. They were all handcrafted from materials found in nature.
3. These launchers provided early humans with many things. It allowed them to kill larger animals from further distances, thus allowing them to eat and survive.
File:Atlatl.png

1800’s-1900’s-

British Mark V
1.       These cannons were first used in WW1. It had many new features such as an unditching beam which could be used to extract itself from shell craters and trenches. 400 in total were made. It could hold a crew of 8, and was referred to as male and female, to distinguish two different designs of the cannons.
2.       This was a late contender in WW1, so it didn’t have much impact economically. Even though it wasn’t used for a majority of the war, it ultimately helped conserve money when it came to soldiers’ rounds because the cannons could take out more enemy troops at one time.
3.       With its’ help in WW1, it most definitely helped and had a social impact. It helped defend Allied Europe from the Nazi army, and if the Allies had lost the First World War our world would most likely be very different today.
File:British Mark V-star Tank.jpg

Voisin Cannon

1. This was the first cannon used in an aircraft. It was simply mounted at the front of the aircraft, and was considered the experimental gateway for aircraft cannons to come.
2. This cannon was only a showcase item, but allowed for aircraft weapons to come.
3. It didn't provide much social impact, but only in the sense that it opened the door for a vital piece of technology we use even today.
File:GAU-8 in A-10.jpg
1900’s-Modern World-

Titan Missile Silo
1.       Rockets are a very heavily used in warfare today. The titan missile program, which is now currently inactive, launched large nuclear rockets out of silos in deserted areas across the country. The chambers were designed for technicians to be able to launch rockets based on coordinates entered into the computer. If the missile launching station was attacked they were designed to last long enough for the technicians inside to return fire before dying.
2.       These missile launching stations were very expensive to build, along with the ammunition they used. Although the price was quite high to manufacture these, they were hardly ever used so they didn’t waste very many funds on the devices.
3.       These missile silos were the main cause of the Cuban missile crisis and the nuclear conflict between the US and Russia. During the late 1900’s the US was very fearful of a nuclear attack. Today many Middle East countries are beginning to acquire nuclear technology, and the threat is beginning to increase once again.
File:Last Titan Rocket-Vanderburg AFB.jpg


Mark 45

1. The mark 45 is a mounted cannon that is often equipped to aircraft carriers. They are controlled by computers, and are used as an anti-aircraft gun.
2. The mark 45 protects vital pieces of technology, therefore saving money. Protecting these pieces of technology leaves more money to be spent for other things.
3. This gun has a major influence in modern warfare, but not many battles take place in the open water anymore.
File:5-54-Mark-45-firing edit.jpg