Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4aQIAhiNBE&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoeHiYkRu70&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLWSu5bsBEw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcfjAERrSYk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EorAVtJ4RKE&feature=related
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Results
::()::RESULTS::()::
Our results weren't succesful at all. Our cannon didn't shoot at all. It did, though, acomplish one thing. We burned up half of the ball and the cannon sort of imploded and melted in on it's self. Better luck next time!
Launch Formula: R=Vo^2sin2o/g 0=degree 0=Vo^2sin(2O45)/32.2 ft./sec^2Vo^2 = 0
Thursday, February 12, 2009
1900-Present
Cannon: M242 Bushmaster
Design:
Design:
Materials: I couldnt find much about how it's made or what it's made of, but I would assume some sort of lightweight metal like titanium. It consists of three parts, a barrel assembly, a feeder assembly, and a reciever assembly.
Ammunition: A wide range of ammunition has been made for the Bushmaster. It is capable of taking out tanks and other vehicles. All of the ammunition developed for it are tracers, which means they burn brightly and go slow at first making them easily visible. This allows the shooter to correct his shots if they are off target. They are also highly explosive and piercing so they can take out armoured vehicles easily.
Trajectories and Accuracy: The slowness and brightness of the ammunition allows the shooter to change his trajectory if it is wrong. My guess is that with a stronger gun and lighter ammunition, the shooters for the Bushmaster can aim lower with only a small paravola formed in the process.
Economic Role: The Bushmasters are very expensive, but they are worth it. If it's a 10,000 dollar piece of equipment (which is just an estimate) that can destroy a 50,000 dollar piece of equipment, you are absolutely getting your money's worth.
Ammunition: A wide range of ammunition has been made for the Bushmaster. It is capable of taking out tanks and other vehicles. All of the ammunition developed for it are tracers, which means they burn brightly and go slow at first making them easily visible. This allows the shooter to correct his shots if they are off target. They are also highly explosive and piercing so they can take out armoured vehicles easily.
Trajectories and Accuracy: The slowness and brightness of the ammunition allows the shooter to change his trajectory if it is wrong. My guess is that with a stronger gun and lighter ammunition, the shooters for the Bushmaster can aim lower with only a small paravola formed in the process.
Economic Role: The Bushmasters are very expensive, but they are worth it. If it's a 10,000 dollar piece of equipment (which is just an estimate) that can destroy a 50,000 dollar piece of equipment, you are absolutely getting your money's worth.
1800-1899
Cannon: 1800s Howitzer
Design: Howitzers were short barreled and had spherical case shot and canisters.
Materials: The Howitzers were made with metal. You would also need gunpowder to give the ammunition thrust to fire. Generally lumber would also be needed to make the carriage the Howitzer rides on, but the smaller 6 pounders could go without.
Ammunition: Howitzers could be made different ways to suit different ammunition. Some were made to take solid shots, which were large spherical cannonballs. Some were made to make shells, a hollow iron ball filled with gunpowder than would explode upon impact. Some were made to take case shots, which would explode and send shrapnel flying everywhere. Some were made to take canisters, which were filled with smaller balls and had the effect of a shotgun. Some were made to take grape shots, which were similar to canisters except they had fewer and larger balls.
Trajectories and Accuracy: Howitzers were specifically made to have a shorter range, but a trajectory with more of an arc. This could help get over walls or anything else in your way. If you needed a high shot that didn't necessarily go far, then this was the cannon for you.
Economic Role: Howitzers were fairly expensive, but were much more effective than less costly cannons. The countries that became successful with this cannon probably has a better political standpoint in the world. Having a whole bunch of little things like Howitzers back then was like having a huge lot of nuclear weapons today.
Design: Howitzers were short barreled and had spherical case shot and canisters.
Materials: The Howitzers were made with metal. You would also need gunpowder to give the ammunition thrust to fire. Generally lumber would also be needed to make the carriage the Howitzer rides on, but the smaller 6 pounders could go without.
Ammunition: Howitzers could be made different ways to suit different ammunition. Some were made to take solid shots, which were large spherical cannonballs. Some were made to make shells, a hollow iron ball filled with gunpowder than would explode upon impact. Some were made to take case shots, which would explode and send shrapnel flying everywhere. Some were made to take canisters, which were filled with smaller balls and had the effect of a shotgun. Some were made to take grape shots, which were similar to canisters except they had fewer and larger balls.
Trajectories and Accuracy: Howitzers were specifically made to have a shorter range, but a trajectory with more of an arc. This could help get over walls or anything else in your way. If you needed a high shot that didn't necessarily go far, then this was the cannon for you.
Economic Role: Howitzers were fairly expensive, but were much more effective than less costly cannons. The countries that became successful with this cannon probably has a better political standpoint in the world. Having a whole bunch of little things like Howitzers back then was like having a huge lot of nuclear weapons today.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Pre 1700
Cannon: Bow and Arrow
Design: The bow has a quite simple design. Back then the most popular bow was a longbow. They were obviously long, but they were also very straight. People also used self bows in the ancient times, which were smaller, more curved versions of the longbow.
Materials: Before the 1700s, humans didn't have access to fiberglass, metals, or carbon fibre, so they used wood. It wasn't just any kind of wood though. For example, wood from a pine tree wouldn't be strong enough for arching. That's why the best, most serious archers used wood like yew, maple, and oak. They would also layer the outside of the bow with sap to keep it water resistant and better looking.
Ammunition: Obviously the ammunition used for bows were arrows. Arrows and long shafts of wood with feathers on one end (usually 3) and a pointy arrowhead on the other. The feathers, also known as fletchings, kept the arrow on track and stopped it from swaying back and forth. This way it could hit the target accurately and cleanly. The arrowhead back then would have been made of rock. The arrowhead wasn't only used to kill the target. You also had to have the correct weight for the arrowhead or else it would be back heavy and hit the target at the wrong angle, or miss it all together.
Trajectories and Accuracy: The bow and arrow wasn't a very technically advanced weapon. It has been used since the Upper Paleolithic times. But it was an extremely accurate weapon for it's simplicity. Archers always had angles and trajectories in their minds before firing. You have to shoot it at a certain angle to nail the target perfectly. If you're too high, miss. If you're to low, miss. Perfect angles were a must for the bow and arrow in ancient times.
Economic Role: The bow and arrow obviously isn't very expensive. It doesn't cost $10,000,000 to make one like it does modern day weapons. Since they were so inexpensive, countries could have more soldiers arm them, which sent more people to war. Companies, like little archery shops in town, could sell them like modern day guns. People could buy them for fun or for protection.
Design: The bow has a quite simple design. Back then the most popular bow was a longbow. They were obviously long, but they were also very straight. People also used self bows in the ancient times, which were smaller, more curved versions of the longbow.
Materials: Before the 1700s, humans didn't have access to fiberglass, metals, or carbon fibre, so they used wood. It wasn't just any kind of wood though. For example, wood from a pine tree wouldn't be strong enough for arching. That's why the best, most serious archers used wood like yew, maple, and oak. They would also layer the outside of the bow with sap to keep it water resistant and better looking.
Ammunition: Obviously the ammunition used for bows were arrows. Arrows and long shafts of wood with feathers on one end (usually 3) and a pointy arrowhead on the other. The feathers, also known as fletchings, kept the arrow on track and stopped it from swaying back and forth. This way it could hit the target accurately and cleanly. The arrowhead back then would have been made of rock. The arrowhead wasn't only used to kill the target. You also had to have the correct weight for the arrowhead or else it would be back heavy and hit the target at the wrong angle, or miss it all together.
Trajectories and Accuracy: The bow and arrow wasn't a very technically advanced weapon. It has been used since the Upper Paleolithic times. But it was an extremely accurate weapon for it's simplicity. Archers always had angles and trajectories in their minds before firing. You have to shoot it at a certain angle to nail the target perfectly. If you're too high, miss. If you're to low, miss. Perfect angles were a must for the bow and arrow in ancient times.
Economic Role: The bow and arrow obviously isn't very expensive. It doesn't cost $10,000,000 to make one like it does modern day weapons. Since they were so inexpensive, countries could have more soldiers arm them, which sent more people to war. Companies, like little archery shops in town, could sell them like modern day guns. People could buy them for fun or for protection.
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