trebuchet
Siege engine type
A trebuchet is a medieval siege weapon that uses a counterweight to hurl heavy projectiles—typically large stones—at fortifications.
Unlike catapults that rely on tension or torsion, trebuchets generate power through a pivoting arm with a heavy weight on one end and a sling on the other.
The design allowed for impressive range and accuracy in breaching castle walls.
Modern trebuchets appear mainly in physics demonstrations and pumpkin-chunking competitions.
Balancing mass in machinery
- fulcrumLever's balance point
- leverPivoting bar for lifting
- slingStrap-based support or launcher
- releaseTo let go
tension · pivot · beam · axle · frame · pouch · trigger · winch
Path of moving object
- parabolaSymmetrical open plane curve
- arcCurved line segment
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- momentumProduct of mass, velocity
force · energy · acceleration · range · angle · elevation · kinematics · ballistics
Ancient projectile siege engine
- mangonelTorsion-powered medieval catapult
- onagerAsiatic wild ass
- battering ramHeavy beam for breaching
- siege towerMobile assault platform
siegecraft · crusades · feudal · knights · warfare · castle · fortification · armory
Violent offensive act
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- breachBreaking of agreement
- besiegeSurround to force surrender
- blockadeSealing off a place
encirclement · fortification · rampart · wall · castle · storming · sappers · escalade
Solid earth fragment
- boulderLarge weathered stone
- missileSelf-guided airborne weapon
- payloadCarried freight or charge
- ammunitionWeapon projectiles and charges
incendiary · corpse · firepot · carcass · Greek fire · beehive · severed head · debris
Struggle for supremacy
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- engineeringDesigning functional systems scientifically
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
- hobbyistRecreational pursuer of interests
physics class · reenactment · festival · backyard · DIY · blueprint · scale model · educational
counterweight
Balancing mass in machinery
release · tension · pivot · beam · axle · frame · pouch · trigger · winch · rope
trajectory
Path of moving object
momentum · force · energy · acceleration · range · angle · elevation · kinematics · ballistics · calculus
ballista
Ancient projectile siege engine
- mangonelTorsion-powered medieval catapult
- onagerAsiatic wild ass
- battering ramHeavy beam for breaching
siege tower · siegecraft · crusades · feudal · knights · warfare · castle · fortification · armory · blacksmith
assault
Violent offensive act
- bombardmentSustained projectile assault
- breachBreaking of agreement
- besiegeSurround to force surrender
blockade · encirclement · fortification · rampart · wall · castle · storming · sappers · escalade · conquest
stone
Solid earth fragment
ammunition · incendiary · corpse · firepot · carcass · Greek fire · beehive · severed head · debris · rubble
competition
Struggle for supremacy
- replicaFaithful scaled reproduction
- engineeringDesigning functional systems scientifically
- demonstrationPublic display of opinion
physics class · hobbyist · reenactment · festival · backyard · DIY · blueprint · scale model · educational · experiment
- Military HardwareMirage, frigate, destroyer, submarine, howitzer
- siege weaponsballista, mangonel, onager, battering ram, siege engine
- medievalknights, castles, cathedral, kings, queens
- medieval lifechivalry, royal courts, jousting, knighthood, falconry
- medieval warfareknights, siege warfare, castle, castle siege, siege
- Middle AgesMiddle Ages, medieval period, castles, knights, Dark Ages