Mode: take the number that occurs most often.įor example, say we have five numbers: 9, 5, 8, 9, and 3.Median: list the numbers in order from smallest to largest and take the middle number.Mean: add up all the numbers and divide by how many numbers there are.These are calculated three different ways: " Average" can refer to one of three things - the mean, median, or mode. Sometimes the words "mean" and "average" are used interchangeably, but technically that is not correct. The values of the mean and standard deviation, which you can calculate for your data, help describe the distribution.
A normal distribution follows a "bell-shaped" curve, so you may frequently hear it referred to as a bell curve (less commonly it can also be referred to as a Gaussian distribution, named after the mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss). The bar graph shows how many people fall into a (non-numeric) category - for example, Mexico was named as home country by 27 people.Ĭonstructing a histogram will also help you tell if your data follows a normal distribution. The histogram shows how many people fall into a weight range - for example, 15 people weighed between 126 and 150 pounds. The bar graph is arranged from largest to smallest populations: USA, Mexico and Canada.Īn example of a histogram (left) and a bar graph (right) with data collected from 100 people who reported their weight and country of birth. The histogram has 6 ranges of weights that account for all weights between 100 and 250 pounds and resembles a normal distribution. Histogram of weight in pounds (left) and a bar chart showing country of origin (right) for 100 people who reported their weight in pounds. The histogram you make for this project will be similar to the one in Figure 1, except you will use the distance the ball travels instead of the weight of a person. Figure 1 shows an example histogram and bar graph displaying weight and country of birth for 100 people. You will try to find different settings that can launch a ball the same distance, and then construct a histogram of your results to see which settings are more reliable.Ī histogram is a graphical way to display how many things in a set of data fall into a certain numerical range (similar to a bar graph, but not quite the same). The catapult makes it easy to launch balls repeatedly with the same intended settings for the catapult (we will explain those settings later) - but, due to small, random changes in these settings, the ball will not travel exactly the same distance every single time. Similarly, in this project you will use a toy catapult to launch a ping pong ball and measure the distance it travels. See below for links to the instructions, frequently asked questions, and more.Imagine that you were commanding an army in the Middle Ages and needed to use your catapult to hit a castle wall from a certain distance away - you would definitely need to know the most reliable way to launch the ball into the wall.
Instructions for this ping pong catapult kit are available online. Use one of the Science Buddies project ideas for your physics project, or use them as inspiration to create your own unique DIY physics or math exploration!
CATAPULT KIT SERIES
To get you started, Science Buddies scientists have created a series of Ping Pong Catapult Projects, providing easy-to-follow online instructions for science fair projects that use the ping pong catapult. This level of precision provides you with valid data, which can be used to explore all kinds of different scientific questions, while having fun launching projectiles and catapult ammo (like ping pong balls) through the air! Unlike most wooden catapults, this catapult allows you to easily reproduce a precise launch angle, and measure the amount of potential energy stored before launch. Providing hours of fun, this simple machine is an educational and engaging STEM activity for curious and creative minds!ĭesigned by professors at the University of Pennsylvania, this ping pong ball catapult is ideally suited for scientific exploration. With this rubber-band powered catapult, you'll send ping pong balls flying through the air to learn about physics and math! This ping pong ball launcher provides a memorable way for students to learn about projectile motion.
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