Math Component

A cannonball is shot upward from the upper deck of a fort with an initial velocity of 192 feet per second.  The deck is 32 feet above the ground. 

Quadratic Model: h = -16t²+192t+32

How high does the cannonball go?  608 feet
How long is the cannonball in the air? 12.16 seconds

Steps for Solving:

1. Plug 192 feet per second in for v₀ and 32 feet for h₀
2. Plug formula into calculator and graph
3. Go to the table and find the vertex of the graph (this is how high the cannonball went)
4. Using the quadratic formula, find the positive x-intercept (this is how long the cannonball was in the air)
5. Check your work

Materials:

Two tennis ball cans
Two tennis ball can lids
18 inches of tape
A pair of sissors


First we tried to put one can inside the other to make the cannon thicker so that there would be more pressure on the ball and launch the ball further, but we decided not to because we might have ruined the cans in the process and they wouldn't fit into one another without force and pressure on a can that could cause damage..

Since our first plan didn't work we then decided to place the barrel of the cannon (one tennis ball can) on top of two cylindrical stands (the other can cut in two pieces) cut to fit the can. One cylindrical stand is 5 inches and the other is 2 inches making the angle of the barrel 45 degrees wich is the perfect angle of trajectory because it  allows distance and heigth to work together to achieve the furthest launch distance.

1900's-Present

Cannons have been used in this time period

Pre 1800's

Some of the first cannons looked like this, they were constructed of wood and fired a rounded stone

The Battle of Crécy was during the Hundred Years' War on August 26, 1346 near Crécy in northern France, it is said by many to be the first battle a cannon was used in.

Hand cannon from the Mongol Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368)