Essential Question

*How has science and technology made wars impersonal, especially as it relates to technology? Likewise, what is the human impact of war - both domestically and personally? (Consdier the perspective of a soldier in combat - a civilian in combat - and a civilian at home watching the combat.)

*How did your knowledge of the gas laws govern your design elements in reference to the cannon construction? Specifically, how do/did pressure, volume, and temperature play a role in designing the most efficient cannon?

*Construction of canons acts as the vehicle through which goals and objectives reinforcing analysis, informational writing and critical thinking within each of the Science, Math, Social Studies, English and Technology curriculums is promoted.

Launch Video

Why This Design?

Our group decided to use this desgin for a few different reasons. For starters we made a seperate chamber for the ethanol to be lit. One reason for creating this seperate chamber was to allow pressure to build up, we hoped this would help in projecting the ball further. Another reason for this chamber was to have a higher concentration of gas inside of our cannon. Our group decided to cut the barrel shorter because we believed that a shorther barrel, could also be seen as a shorther volume, would cause more pressure to build up. The reason that our gruop used the second tennis ball can as a base was first bescause we wanted our cannon to have the best stability and second because we wanted to get the angle of the cannon exact. Finally our gruop agreed to use a 40 degree angle because we though that really low angle would force the ball to hit the ground and a larger angle would just make the ball go up in a straight line. Over all we used a 40 degree angle because it was close to the middle.

Materials

To Build the Cannon
1) Two tennis ball cans
2) The two tops of the tennis ball cans
3) 18 inches of tape

To Shoot the Cannon
1) 2mL of ethanol (C2H6O)
2) Can hold the cannon to steady it if needed

Procedure

Step One:Cut off two and a half inches off the bottom of the fist tennis ball can

Step Two:Tape one of the caps to the end of the tennis ball can, the same end which you cut off

Step Three:Tape the end that you cut off in the beginning to the bottom of the tennis ball can where you just taped the cap

Step Four:Place the second cap on to the front of the second can

Step Five:Cut out a hole in the second can, big enough that you will be able to lay the first tennis ball can on top of it.

Step Six:Place the first can on the second can, so that its laying in the hole, and tape it once you have made sure that it is at a 40 degree angle

Velocity

g- the gravitational constant (g= 32.2 ft/sec2)
O- measure the launch angle in degrees
R- the distance your projectile flies in the air
Vo2- the intial velocity

Over all our intial velocity was zero because our cannon did not fire.

Why it Didn't Work

After everyone had shot off their cannons, or should I say tried to shoot off their cannons, no group was successful. Much consideration went into this idea, for my group was able to discover that last year all but two cannons were successful in shooting. Doing research about that day, I was able to find that there was one major aspect which was different between that day and the day our class shot off our cannons. The temperature of the day was a lot warmer because last year the class was able to shoot their cannons off in a concealed area. Based upon some of the gas laws temperature is a variable which can affect the outcome of a chemical reaction. Over all I believe that when I our class rebuilds our cannons in April we will have better results for the weather should be a lot warmer.