Both of these catapults launch their projectiles by rotating the beam at a high speed and throwing the load out. Mangonel and onager are two kinds of this traditional catapult. When most people think of a catapult, they imagine the construction with a single long arm that rotates and throws a projectile into the air. There are actually three types of technologies that fall under the category of catapult: ballista, trebuchet and catapult. The angle at which the projectile is launched is controlled by a crossbar, which is positioned at a certain distance from the top end of the arm to stop it from rotating. When the arm rotates, it makes use of stored energy to release the projectile. The wooden beam has a spoon/bucket attachment at the top end where the projectile is placed. How Does a Catapult Work?Ī catapult is a simple machine that has a long wooden beam that rotates along a horizontal axis. These weapons kept the Roman army besieging Syracuse at bay for two years. His other inventions included large claws that could lift the enemy’s ships and smash them against the rocks and mirrors that magnified the sun’s rays and set on fire the sails of the enemy’s ship. To help King Hiero, Archimedes improved the catapult design, creating a catapult that could hurl 500-pound boulders at the attacking soldiers, causing severe damage to the enemy's army. In 214 B.C., King Hiero asked Archimedes to develop weapons to help fight the Roman army led by Marchellus that attacked Syracuse by both land and sea.
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