Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post

fadiga · 04-20-2008, 02:45 AM

Hi all! i noticed a discussion on one forum about water balloon launchers, I couldnt quite figure out how to post this there so im sending here instead...
I have an assignment to build a balloon launcher, using:
a 100gram water balloon,
Maximum of 1m of elastic(unstretched),
threee pieces of wood.

The design will be extremely simple, basically a slingshot, because we also have to predict the distance it will travel with kinetic equation of motion. Now rather than complicate matters and try to account for air resistance in equations, we want to reduce the drag as much as possible. For instance, we had the idea of freezing the balloons so that they wouldnt deform as much in midair and increase drag, but we weren't allowed...does anyone have a simple solution/idea how this may be done, without using anything apart from the balloon and water itself as much as possible??

thanks

04-20-2008, 02:45 AM	#5314 (permalink)
fadiga Upright	Hi all! i noticed a discussion on one forum about water balloon launchers, I couldnt quite figure out how to post this there so im sending here instead... I have an assignment to build a balloon launcher, using: a 100gram water balloon, Maximum of 1m of elastic(unstretched), threee pieces of wood. The design will be extremely simple, basically a slingshot, because we also have to predict the distance it will travel with kinetic equation of motion. Now rather than complicate matters and try to account for air resistance in equations, we want to reduce the drag as much as possible. For instance, we had the idea of freezing the balloons so that they wouldnt deform as much in midair and increase drag, but we weren't allowed...does anyone have a simple solution/idea how this may be done, without using anything apart from the balloon and water itself as much as possible?? thanks