Physics was pretty epic! The trebuchet worked and worked very well. but some of the tests had some very weird results.
For example:
When it was set up with a 2 kilo counterweight and a 100g throw ball at a 70:15 arm ratio, it threw around about 4m each time, but when it was changed to a 75:10 arm ration it threw the ball backwards... strange.
And the total range for it on a 2 kilo to 100g ball was about 6-7m which is actually pretty good, I think.
But on the downside, I was told today that a massive bit of geology is due in in 2 days time, and I haven't even started it yet!!! Looks like tonight is not going to be spent youtubing and making new videos but more looking at the geology of aquifers... fun fun fun!
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Monday, 18 October 2010
College
OK then:
The physics teacher insisted on spending most of the lesson explaining to me for their very old and knackered video camera works, which meant that I didn't have enough time to even try using tree2 (tree - trebuchet, 2 - because it is the second attempt at making one) NOT EVEN ONCE!!!
I did however have enough time to saw up some bits of metal to go into the weight holder at the counterweight end. No idea what the metal was originally, but it was no match for me and my cheepo hacksaw. We killed that metal rod!!! And then left some nice jagged edges on either end to deter people from steeling it which did not impress the teachers.
Moving on... we had 2 fire alarms today which were quite epic and meant that we missed a good 20 minutes of lesson time!!! YAY!!! especially when one of the lessons was 'Science in society' which is not very fun / interesting. I think they decided to start us off on the most interesting subject - the germ theory of diseases - and then plan to move us to transport issues, and I haven't dared look any further than that into the booklet.
The physics teacher insisted on spending most of the lesson explaining to me for their very old and knackered video camera works, which meant that I didn't have enough time to even try using tree2 (tree - trebuchet, 2 - because it is the second attempt at making one) NOT EVEN ONCE!!!
I did however have enough time to saw up some bits of metal to go into the weight holder at the counterweight end. No idea what the metal was originally, but it was no match for me and my cheepo hacksaw. We killed that metal rod!!! And then left some nice jagged edges on either end to deter people from steeling it which did not impress the teachers.
Moving on... we had 2 fire alarms today which were quite epic and meant that we missed a good 20 minutes of lesson time!!! YAY!!! especially when one of the lessons was 'Science in society' which is not very fun / interesting. I think they decided to start us off on the most interesting subject - the germ theory of diseases - and then plan to move us to transport issues, and I haven't dared look any further than that into the booklet.
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Trebuchet
Well, physics coursework starts tomorrow... which will be fun... possibly. and I have decided that I am going to do various tests on a trebuchet that I have made especially for the purpose.
Its basically a big wooden sword on a stand with gym weights tied to the short end and a drill bit stuck in the other end to act as the sling hook. And the projectile: a tennis ball with holes cut into it for a bit of "type III paracord" tied through the holes to make the sling.
I have tried it a few times, and it generally worked quite well so I am happy about that, but quite what the teachers will think when they see it I don't know. Especially when you consider that someone wasn't allowed to use a junior low power recurve bow as a crossbow and only pulling it back to about 7N... instead, he had to use some rubber bands in a chain that actually puller exactly the same force and thus made it just as dangerous.
But we will just have to wait and see what happens.
I mean, a tennis ball on the end of a piece of string is hardly as dangerous as a fibreglass training arrow with no tip on it... is it??? And as far as I know, the range is only up to about 10m, in fact probably not even that.
But it should be fun trying to convince the teachers that a 70cm weighted swordy thing is less dangerous that the cross-band-bow.
Its basically a big wooden sword on a stand with gym weights tied to the short end and a drill bit stuck in the other end to act as the sling hook. And the projectile: a tennis ball with holes cut into it for a bit of "type III paracord" tied through the holes to make the sling.
I have tried it a few times, and it generally worked quite well so I am happy about that, but quite what the teachers will think when they see it I don't know. Especially when you consider that someone wasn't allowed to use a junior low power recurve bow as a crossbow and only pulling it back to about 7N... instead, he had to use some rubber bands in a chain that actually puller exactly the same force and thus made it just as dangerous.
But we will just have to wait and see what happens.
I mean, a tennis ball on the end of a piece of string is hardly as dangerous as a fibreglass training arrow with no tip on it... is it??? And as far as I know, the range is only up to about 10m, in fact probably not even that.
But it should be fun trying to convince the teachers that a 70cm weighted swordy thing is less dangerous that the cross-band-bow.
Hare and Hounds
Well, today whilst I was merrily enjoying some canoeing on the Cam, Joel popped up and asked if I was racing. I was in a MA majorette so the shouldn't really have been much of a question but hey, its a very quick canoe.
So yeah, naturally I got roped into doing this little race from outside the boathouse (newnham) to the fork (granchester) which is just past the Red Lion pub, which as far as I can remember is a pretty good pub. And then back again, a grand old 4-5 miles... if that.
My new record breaking time is 38:29 which probably only breaks the record set by anyone stupid enough to try it in a playboat... like me... I think... with a fantastic time of most of the evening and a picnic stop half way to regain energy.
So then, upon arriving back at the boathouse, I went to put my BA away on my Jackson and found out that my wetshoe-cheepo-trainer-thingys had gone mouldy!!! YUM!!! Epic excuse to get a new pair like those asics goretex ones I was looking at.
All in all a good morning... but I now have a load of geology homework to do; which sucks. But ah well.
So yeah, naturally I got roped into doing this little race from outside the boathouse (newnham) to the fork (granchester) which is just past the Red Lion pub, which as far as I can remember is a pretty good pub. And then back again, a grand old 4-5 miles... if that.
My new record breaking time is 38:29 which probably only breaks the record set by anyone stupid enough to try it in a playboat... like me... I think... with a fantastic time of most of the evening and a picnic stop half way to regain energy.
So then, upon arriving back at the boathouse, I went to put my BA away on my Jackson and found out that my wetshoe-cheepo-trainer-thingys had gone mouldy!!! YUM!!! Epic excuse to get a new pair like those asics goretex ones I was looking at.
All in all a good morning... but I now have a load of geology homework to do; which sucks. But ah well.
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