Build Your Own Medieval Catapult: Simulation of the Arm and Level Model

2,838 views · Published 23 August 2012 · 0:12 · Indexed 10 November 2026

Channel: Wolfram · 2012 · Science & Technology

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Wouldn't it be nice to be able to study medieval warfare, in particular the mechanical system of a catapult? How should you design your catapult for maximal effect? How far can you hurl a projectile with a given design?

The mechanics behind a catapult are rather simple to describe using ready made components in SystemModeler. The model could be used to fine tune the design and calculate properties such as the maximum length of a hurl for a specific counterweight. 

This video shows a simulation of the arm and level model. Peter Aronsson, a Product Manager at Wolfram MathCore, walks through the entire process of building your own medieval catapult in this Wolfram Blog post:
http://blog.wolfram.com/2012/08/23/build-your-own-medieval-catapult

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