WATCH: Physics Students Get Medieval With Homemade Catapult

Physics.

It’s the branch of science that deals with matter, energy, and mechanics.

Physics class.

The period of the school day where students can design their very own homemade medieval warfare weapon for the good of science.

For West Morris Central’s AP Physics II class of seniors, the end of the school year was the time for all their hard work to pay off. After AP exams in May, the class was tasked with a “fun but meaningful project,” teacher Jay Herrigel told Patch.

The students, many of whom will be studying engineering and science in the fall, were asked to design a trebuchet and draw plans to scale.

For those not living during the middle ages in war-torn lands, a trebuchet is a catapult-like device used as a weapon during battle.

Herrigel selected five designs and the class voted for the winner. The design made by students Nick Caro and Michael Cuesta won out, which had a floating arm trebuchet, where weights attach to an axle and drop vertically as the lever arm propels in a circular motion, Herrigel said.

From there, a sling is attached to the end of the lever arm, which holds the projectile.

During the design phase, after Herrigel made a trip to Home Depot for materials, the base was constructed, but the design needed to be adapted on the fly.

“Since none of us had ever built something like this, it was a learning experience for all of us,” Herrigel said. “It was fun to think through the daily challenge and problem solve. It was also entertaining for me to see great minds use a cordless drill for the first time.”

In the end, the design resembled a blueprint constructed by Ben West and Brian Marshall, but the result resembled the entire class’s common goal.

On Wednesday, Herrigel and his class took to the football field, trebuchet in hand, and witnessed the fruits of their labor.

The catapult launched a volleyball 80 yards; basketballs 95 yards; and a bocce ball 110 yards after loading the trebuchet with 200 pounds of weight.

“The kids in the class did an outstanding job and everybody contributed something critical to the process,” Herrigel said. “I’m very proud of this class.”

Watch the videos below to see the medieval weapon in the works.