# Explain the difference between catapults and trebuchets

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-difference-between-catapults-and-trebuchets/337530>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 29, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-difference-between-catapults-and-trebuchets/337530 "2005-12-29T02:06:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-difference-between-catapults-and-trebuchets/337530/21 "2006-01-05T11:31:44Z")

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> [@Detigr](#):
>
> After two years of lurking here, I finally had to “de-cloak” and post this link. If you’ve never seen this, then boy are you in for a larf. They’re both animated gif’s so make sure you can view them in IE or whatever you’re using.  
> [Part 1](http://www.maximumawesome.com/section2/catapult1.htm)
> 
> [Part 2](http://www.maximumawesome.com/section2/catapult2.htm)

::picks himself up off the floor, holding ribcage, wiping tears from his eyes::

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**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-difference-between-catapults-and-trebuchets/337530/22 "2006-01-05T14:07:25Z")

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That parody was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long time.

For anybody interested in watching siege engines at play, look into [Pumpkin Chucking.](http://www.punkinchunkin.com/gallery.htm)

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**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-difference-between-catapults-and-trebuchets/337530/23 "2006-01-05T15:01:34Z")

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> [@Pushkin](#):
>
> The idea IIRC is that without wheels, the counterweight is forced to move through an arc downwards. With wheels, the base of the trebuchet moves and the counterweight falls more or less directly downwards, making it accelerate faster and therefore the payload is launched with more force.
> 
> Poorly explained and needs pictures I know, but that’s the jist of what was happening.

I think [this trebuchet](http://www.trebuchet.com/kit/fat/) is designed to address that idea.

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**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\
**Post date:** [January 5, 2006, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-the-difference-between-catapults-and-trebuchets/337530/24 "2006-01-05T15:16:15Z")

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I have seen 3 designs for making the weight fall straighter: Wheels, bucket, and floating arm (as in above link)

NOVA episode where they made wheeled and bucket Treb:  
[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostempires/trebuchet/)  
[http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1863457&cp=1412584&view=all&parentPage=family](http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1863457&cp=1412584&view=all&parentPage=family)

Brian

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