Thursday, February 3, 2011

Pre-1800s Cannons

Howitzers
 
Battles:
Battle of Saratoga
Ammunition:
fire bombs
Manufacturer:
Unknown
Design:
Carriage design
Large caliber gun
Short barrel
Light charge
http://www.americanrevolution.org/artillery.htm

Pre-1800s Cannons

1781 Field Cannon


Battles:
Battle of Yorktown (Revolutionary War)
Ammunition:
solid ball
grape shot
canister shot
Manufacturers:
British
French
Americans
Description:
very mobile on battlefield
Two large wheels

1800s-1900s Cannons

Parrott Rifle
Battle:
Battle of Gettysburg
Ammunition:
solid bolt
case
common shell
cannister
Manufacturer:
Americans
Design:
Cast iron
Wrought iron
Breech reinforcement
Made reliable and accurate

1800s-1900s Cannons

1861 “Dictator”
Battle:
Siege of Petersburg
Ammunition:
200-pound explosive shell
Manufacturer:
Americans
Design:
13-inch Model
Mounted on a railroad car
17,000 pounds

1900s-Modern Cannons

 Chonma-ho “Pegasus”
Manufacturer:
North Koreans
Battle:
None; used for protection purposes
Ammunition:
Bullets
explosives
Design:
Bulletproof shell
Large revolving gun
Large wheels
 
http://www.worldwide-military.com/Army%20Material/EU,US%20Tanks%20plaatjes/groot/Abrams%20M-1A1%20Kuwaiti.jpg

1900s-Modern Cannons

M-4 Sherman Medium Tank


      Battles:
     World War II
     Korean War
      Ammunition:
     short  range missiles
     bullets
      Manufacturer:
     Americans
      Design:
     Thick, bulletproof armor
     76 mm gun or 105 mm howitzer (in later modifications)
     Two large wheels



Procedure for Building Cannon

1.       Collect all materials needed to construct your cannon.
2.       Take one of the tennis ball cans and cut it in half using the pair of scissors you collected.

3.       Then take one of the tennis ball caps and cut a small circle in the center of the cap.
4.       Using a small amount of duct tape to connect the two halves of the bottle, placing the cap with the small hole in the center so that is separates the two halves.
5.       Taking the other tennis ball can lid, cut it so that you get a half circle piece.
6.       Then take the remaining portion of the left over bottle and cut off the metal ring at the top.
7.       Cut the ring in half.
8.       Punch to small holes in the bottle of the barrel so that the two half metal rings can be inserted.
9.       Then take the half circle piece of the tennis ball can cap and attach more towards the top of the barrel as shown in the photo.
10.   Adjust the legs and plastic to make the barrel be directed in a 50 degree angle.
11.   Finish securing any loose pieces with duct tape.

Chemistry Component



Launch Angle Choice:

We chose to use a 50 degree angle because we used predicted numbers for our cannon using a formula Mrs. Tyrpak provided for us (it was an altered version of the quadratic formula). We believe that if the design permits, the 50 degree angle will yield the most significant distance results out of

all the cannons created in our cohort.

Gas Law:

The gas law we used was Gay-Lussac's. Pressure and temperature are the components used in this cannon project. We aren't exactly sure about the exact numbers to use because we are unsure of the environmental conditions on the day we will be launching.

Design Choice:

We chose our design for multiple reasons. We made a two chamber barrel because we believe that it will increase the pressure exerted. Also, we used a sturdier base so that wind conditions won't alter the cannon angle. We also made sure that the weight would be balanced once the ball is placed inside the cannon so that there won't be a risk of it tipping over.

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

Social and Economic Impact

From the first basic forms to the intricate models we have today, cannons have had a great impact on us socially and economically. In battles they have strengthened and weakened both, depending on which side you're on. They've prompted us to communicate with each other to collaborate on or buy particular models. Cannons have helped win wars that led to new alliances, treaties, and other wars. They continue to impact us as new models are made and old ones are improved, and will eventually lead to the invention of new and more effective weapons.

The Ethics of Weapon Development

Personally, I believe that everyone has to decide for themselves if developing weapons is ethical or not. There’s no way of determining whether it’s right or wrong; it’s all based on opinion. In my opinion, the development of weapons is a necessary action, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good one. Yes, some weapons are just made for people’s protection, but others are developed with the intention of inflicting harm. People make weapons to fight in wars, for hunting, protecting one’s self, protecting others, and many other things. In A Long Way Gone, the weapons were probably made for reasons other than they were used. The rebels went off and killed thousands of innocent people, which caused Ishmael to be kidnapped and brainwashed into becoming a child soldier. In this case, weapons may be considered “bad” to some people, but I think it’s more about the people in control of the weapons than the weapons themselves. What people really need to learn is how to use weapons in a safe and proper manner, not if the development of them is ethical.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Works Cited

“Artillery at the Siege of Yorktown”. 20 Dec. 2011.  3. Feb. 2011. <http://xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/yrtnarty.htm>.
"Chonma-ho (Pegasus) - Main Battle Tank - History, Specs and Pictures - Military Tanks, Vehicles and Artillery." Military Factory - Military Weapons: Cataloging aircraft, tanks, vehicles, artillery, ships and guns through history.. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. <http://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=392>.
Downey, Brian. “10-Pounder Parrott Rifled Muzzleloader”. Antietam. aotw.org. Antietam on the Web, 1996-2011. 1 Feb. 2011. <http://antietam.aotw.org/weapons.php?weapon_id=8>.
"Famous Cannon & Mortars." The Civil War Artillery Projectile and Cannon Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2011. <http://www.civilwarartillery.com/cannon/default.htm>.
International, the Editors of Publications. "HowStuffWorks "M-4 Sherman Medium Tank"." Howstuffworks "Science". N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Feb. 2011. http://science.howstuffworks.com/m-4-sherman-medium-tank.htm.
3  Feb. 2011. <http://www.americanrevolution.org/artillery.htm>. (Cannot be found anymore)