Engineering Design ProcessThink about all the steps in the process.

Investigate

Design Brief Define the Problem Research

Plan Develop Possible Solutions Design Specifications

Act

Communicate The Design Redesign

Evaluate

Test It Out!

Create

Follow Your Plan Build It!

Design BriefThe challenge was to construct a catapult with agroup of four to five that could project amarshmallow over a standard sized tennis net. Define the ProblemThe problem was to construct a free-standingcatapult with a group of four to five with ducttape or masking tape, string, cardboard boxesthat were no bigger than a shoe box, plasticspoons, paint sticks, and Popsicle sticks asmaterials. A marshmallow must be projectedover a standard sized tennis net by the catapult. ResearchPart of the research that our group did was inkinetic and potential energy. Kinetic energy iswhen energy is being released. Potentialenergy is when energy release is possible. Wealso researched how to make a scale drawing.We did this so we could make one of ourcatapult. The link of the video that we watchedto learn how to create a scale drawing is below.Scientific inquiry drives the work of physicists byfueling new discoveries and building questionsoff new discoveries.

InvestigateDesign Brief, Define the Problem, Research

Develop Possible SolutionsThere were many possible solutions to thecatapult challenge. We decided to make acatapult with a box for a base and a spoon thatwould launch the marshmallow. Design SpecificationThere were some specifics that had to beincluded in the catapult. The first aspect wasthat you had to use at least one box. The otherspecification was that you could not alter thelaunched marshmallow in any way.

PlanDevelop Possible Solutions, Design Specification

Follow Your PlanOur team followed our plan almost exactly. Weadded another box that made the catapulthigher, added a paint stick support, andchanged it into a stick that bent the top oneover later. That way the top stick would havemore power when it snapped forward. We alsoadded several paint sticks as a stem for thespoon. Build ItAs we built our catapult, we discovered that itkept falling over. We added a box underneathour first one. That worked until we realized thatour spoon was too low and needed to behigher. A paint stick stem was added. The longstem unbalanced the catapult. To make itsturdier we added a paint stick support. But itkept sliding and wouldn't keep our catapult up.We decided to turn it into a prop-up stick that aperson held. Then our catapult was completed.

CreateFollow Your Plan, Build It!

Test It OutWe tested our catapult two times. Our catapultwas tested once in the gym and once on thetennis court. The results of the different teamsare below.

EvaluateTest It Out!

Simplicity

Gym

1st Trial 3rd Trial2nd Trial

Domina-tors

Bow'dzOrigins

ClockworkCatapultsLauncherzTheShuttles

Mean Median Mode Range11.36 meters

1.2 meters

5.93 meters

7.59 meters

0.24 meters

8.17 meters

0.65 meters

1.98 meters

4.26 meters

6.32 meters

4.69 meters

1.95 meters

4.82 meters

5.76 meters

2.76 meters

1.6 meters

7.9 meters

1.13 meters

1.5 meters

7.39 meters

4.64 meters

10.57meters

1.6meters

7.34meters2.22meters1.81meters5.49meters5.57meters

7.59meters

1.2meters

1.95meters

1.13meters

7.9meters

4.82meters5.76meters

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

8.6meters

1.36meters

2.24meters4.04meters

1.68meters

3.13meters

0.48meters

4.373meters

4.64meters

11.12metersN/A

EvaluateTest It Out!

Simplicity

TennisCourt

1st Trial 2nd Trial

Domina-tors

Bow'dzOrigins

ClockworkCatapultsLauncherzTheShuttles

Mean Median Mode Range7.59 meters

3.8 meters

5.2 meters

6.5 meters

3.9 meters

4.83 meters

6.16 meters

2.31 meters

3.6 meters

5.7 meters

1.63 meters

1.53 meters

3.2 meters

4.42 meters

7.04meters

3.9meters

5.02meters

3.9meters1.92meters

3.4meters

5.7meters

N/A N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

1.09meters

0.1meters

0.37meters4.53meters

1.28meters

0.4meters

0.78meters

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Communicate the DesignWe decided to make a catapult with a box fora base and paint sticks as the stem of thecatapult. A plastic spoon would be the wherethe marshmallow was placed. A web ofPopsicle sticks and tape would keep the paintstick stem attached to the open lid of the shoebox. An additional box made the catapulthigher. RedesignIf I could redesign any aspect of my catapult, Iwould straighten the stem of it. The stem ofthe catapult was taped slightly slanted so Iwould redo it. I would also tape my Popsiclestick web better. The web would be taped upto the sides of the top of the box lid. Thatmight make the stem more secure.

ActCommunicate the Design, Redesign

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