About us

Developed around 1400 AD, the trebuchet was a medieval device that was originally used in war to destroy the walls of an enemy’s fortress. Our goal with this project was to create a compact floating arm trebuchet capable of launching a projectile across a football field (around 110m).  In medieval times trebuchets were roughly 15 meters tall, but in order to modify this machine to better fit in the classroom, we needed to create a 1.5m trebuchet capable of collapsing. Historically, storage space was not a concern when engineering a trebuchet, which is what makes our design unique. In order to achieve this task, we integrated bolts and wingnuts into the design. These materials allow the frame of the trebuchet to be separated from the base, allowing the trebuchet to be stored in a classroom. To complete this daunting task we created specialized teams who all contributed to the success of the project. This project is the legacy that the AP Physics I class of 2023 is leaving at Marvin Ridge High School. In the future we hope that our efforts will inspire ingenuity amongst both our peers here at Marvin Ridge, as well as other high schools.