• Introduce the context. The ball launcher and how it works
• Identify the type of lever the ball launcher is and how changes the forces on the ball
• Identify the variable to be changed in this project and predict how this may affect the forces on the ball
(100 - 150 words)
The context of this project is a ball launcher, a device that propels a ball through the air using a lever mechanism. The lever in the ball launcher is a Class 1 lever, which means the fulcrum is positioned between the effort and the load. In this case, the fulcrum is located at the bottom of the lever, while the effort is applied to the other end of the lever and the ball is the load.
By adjusting the position at which the effort is applied on the lever, the forces on the ball can be changed. When the effort is applied closer to the fulcrum, the force exerted on the ball is decreased but the distance covered by the ball is increased. Conversely, when the effort is applied farther from the fulcrum, the force exerted on the ball is increased but the distance covered by the ball is decreased.
The variable to be changed in this project could be the length of the lever arm. Increasing the length of the lever arm would increase the mechanical advantage, meaning that a smaller effort would be needed to launch the ball. This would result in a decrease in force exerted on the ball but an increase in the distance covered by the ball. On the other hand, decreasing the length of the lever arm would decrease the mechanical advantage, requiring a larger effort to launch the ball. This would result in an increase in force exerted on the ball but a decrease in the distance covered by the ball.