We took notes on the firing of others cannon and the firing of our cannons. We recorded the sounds and the smells.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Speech
The constructing of the cannon took a lot of research, patience and strategy. We as a team can honestly say there was no way to find how to create the perfect cannon. Although ours was one of the most successful cannons, we could still work to make it better. Our hypothesis was found to be correct; a maximum of four feet was the rate of our cannon when fired. The most successful cannon shot twenty one feet which was found to be amazing since we were using plastic tennis ball cans. The history of the cannon was rather fascinating dating back to china before the 1200s to present day. All being differentiated to peoples own personal preference. In the constructing of the cannon there were a lot of issues with the making and testing of the cannon. Such as finding a proper base to prop the cannon and then testing the weight factor of it. In the end we used the aluminum cap as a supporter of the cannon; we also put the ball in it to test the weight which passed as well. Also in the constructing of the cannon Matthew Karas checked the physics of projectile motion on which he concluded; horizontal motion and the vertical motion of an object have no effect on one another. This means that if an object moves up and down on a bus that is moving at a constant speed, the object’s vertical motion will not be affected. I will continue to move up and down as if the bus was not moving. I also learned how to find the distance an object will travel. It all depends on the angle that the object was projected at and the initial velocity of the object. To find the time the object is in the air we take the Cos of the angle the object was projected at. This is the speed the object is moving at horizontally and it will continue to travel at this speed as long as it remains airborne. Now we must find the vertical velocity of the object. To do this we find the sin of the angle the object was projected. However, we must take into account gravity. Gravity is a force of -9.8 m/s. It is a negative because we are working with velocity and gravity is pulling the object in the opposite direction that it is traveling. So you divide the initial vertical velocity of the object by the force of gravity and multiply by two to find the time the object will remain airborne. Now to find the distance the object traveled you multiply the time the object is in motion by the horizontal velocity of the object. Matthew Karas also researched on the effects of gas laws in which he stated; with this experiment I believe that the gas law being applied here is combined gas law. I believe this because the temperature will increase because there is a combustion reaction taking place. When the combustion reaction takes place in the chamber of the cannon, pressure will build in the chamber and heat, a constant volume. However there is a baffle so the carbon dioxide produced will fill the shaft of the cannon, building pressure behind the Nerf ball in the somewhat smaller chamber. As the carbon dioxide fills the smaller chamber the pressure will decrease in the larger chamber but will increase behind the Nerf ball, creating enough force to shoot it out of the cannon. The pressure, volume, and temperature are changing in this reaction and this is why the Combined Gas Law is applied.
Refelction
Outcome: In our test run of the cannon it went a maximum of four feet. After the cannon fired it began to melt, and it made a minimum of noise while firing. When comparing to other cannons ours did very well. We had a successful firing as well as a great design of the cannon. If there was anything we could change as a group we would shorten the chamber of the cannon to lessen the volume and maximize the pressure for more distance in the firing of the ball.
Firing of the Cannon
Firing of the Cannon
We fired off our cannon. The Nerf ball traveled four feet and the shaft of the cannon melted due to the heat produced during the combustion reaction. Our cannon fired fairly well and I believe this to be because of the large combustion chamber in the cannon combined with the baffle we installed and the angle the cannon was tilted. Our cannon fired the Nerf ball a distance of 4 feet. This proved our hypothesis to be true. However, other cannons fired off terrifically reaching up to 21 feet. One of these cannons also had a large combustion chamber and a baffle, but they also had put a cover over the baffle so that pressure would build up in the combustion chamber until the cap burst off. This caused the Nerf ball to go shooting out of the cannon with a bang. Our cannon, along with many others, melted due to the exothermic reaction taking place when the ethanol is lighted.
This is a picture of our cannon after firing it. The barrel melted due to the heat produced by the combustion reaction. Here is a closer look.
We fired off our cannon. The Nerf ball traveled four feet and the shaft of the cannon melted due to the heat produced during the combustion reaction. Our cannon fired fairly well and I believe this to be because of the large combustion chamber in the cannon combined with the baffle we installed and the angle the cannon was tilted. Our cannon fired the Nerf ball a distance of 4 feet. This proved our hypothesis to be true. However, other cannons fired off terrifically reaching up to 21 feet. One of these cannons also had a large combustion chamber and a baffle, but they also had put a cover over the baffle so that pressure would build up in the combustion chamber until the cap burst off. This caused the Nerf ball to go shooting out of the cannon with a bang. Our cannon, along with many others, melted due to the exothermic reaction taking place when the ethanol is lighted.
This is a picture of our cannon after firing it. The barrel melted due to the heat produced by the combustion reaction. Here is a closer look.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
History of the Cannon
China:
Cannons are derived from the fire-lance, a gunpowder filled tube attached to the end of a spear and used like a flamethrower. Sometimes the fire lance was loaded with debris which would shoot out when the fire-lance was fired. Over time the bamboo barrels of the fire lances were replaced with metal. This was the start of the cannon. The cannon was used by both the Chinese and Mongols and over 3,000 cannons were mounted on the Great Wall.
The Middle East:
Hand cannons were used by the Egyptians to repel the Mongols in the 1200-1300’s. The type of gunpowder used during this time was extremely close to modern compositions of gunpowder, resulting in very effective cannons.
Medieval Europe:
Gunpowder was first used in the Moorish cannon in Spain at the siege of Seville in 1248. By 1340, light cannons were widespread enough in the Islamic world to end up in military inventories. English cannon were first used on the European battlefield during the Hundred Years War, when primitive cannon were used at the Battle of Crécy in 1346. "Ribaldis" were believed to have shot large arrows and simplistic grapeshot, but they were so important they were directly controlled by the Royal Wardrobe. One man, Giovanni Villani, recalls the destructiveness of these cannons saying that at the end of a battle the whle plain was covered with men struck down by arrows and cannon balls. Near the 1380’s cannons started to be mounted on wheels. After the Middle Ages many cannons were built as a show of power. However, nations began to turn away from using heavy, cumbersome cannons and started to cast lighter more maneuverable cannons.
18th Century to present day:
During this time period cannons were now being mounted on ships. Cannons from this point were being made lighter and more maneuverable so that fewer soldiers could operate them. Modern cannons are a dual-purpose weapon. It can operate as a direct fire, low trajectory, high velocity weapon, firing directly at its target like a modern main battle tank. Now the minimum caliber of a cannon is 20mm.
Cannons are derived from the fire-lance, a gunpowder filled tube attached to the end of a spear and used like a flamethrower. Sometimes the fire lance was loaded with debris which would shoot out when the fire-lance was fired. Over time the bamboo barrels of the fire lances were replaced with metal. This was the start of the cannon. The cannon was used by both the Chinese and Mongols and over 3,000 cannons were mounted on the Great Wall.
The Middle East:
Hand cannons were used by the Egyptians to repel the Mongols in the 1200-1300’s. The type of gunpowder used during this time was extremely close to modern compositions of gunpowder, resulting in very effective cannons.
Medieval Europe:
Gunpowder was first used in the Moorish cannon in Spain at the siege of Seville in 1248. By 1340, light cannons were widespread enough in the Islamic world to end up in military inventories. English cannon were first used on the European battlefield during the Hundred Years War, when primitive cannon were used at the Battle of Crécy in 1346. "Ribaldis" were believed to have shot large arrows and simplistic grapeshot, but they were so important they were directly controlled by the Royal Wardrobe. One man, Giovanni Villani, recalls the destructiveness of these cannons saying that at the end of a battle the whle plain was covered with men struck down by arrows and cannon balls. Near the 1380’s cannons started to be mounted on wheels. After the Middle Ages many cannons were built as a show of power. However, nations began to turn away from using heavy, cumbersome cannons and started to cast lighter more maneuverable cannons.
18th Century to present day:
During this time period cannons were now being mounted on ships. Cannons from this point were being made lighter and more maneuverable so that fewer soldiers could operate them. Modern cannons are a dual-purpose weapon. It can operate as a direct fire, low trajectory, high velocity weapon, firing directly at its target like a modern main battle tank. Now the minimum caliber of a cannon is 20mm.
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