Science fair project

[noob of noobs]

Our class in biology is doing science fair projects. We're allowed to experiment whatever we want, and I decided to do something on cannons. Problem is, I don't quite know what to do.
Right now, I'm thinking on experimenting on C:B ratios on pneumatics or combustions (with combustions it would run on regulated propane, which might also be an independent variable, and the pneumatic would use an unmodified, electric operated sprinkler valve.) But as always, I'm open to suggestions. If possible, I'd like to help the spudfiles community in research and do something productive, but I also want a good grade. Any ideas?
Thanks for your time.

[Lentamentalisk]

No way! i am doing the same thing! I dont exactly know what im going to do for it, but also thinking spudgun... check out the thread on it here here

[noob of noobs]

No way! i am doing the same thing! I dont exactly know what im going to do for it, but also thinking spudgun... check out the thread on it here here

Imagine that! Must be a begining of the school year tradition or something...

[TwitchTheAussie]

Make a "Model Combustion Engine" like me . I got away with it...for a time . I even got to demonstrate how loud and far it shoots

[noname]

When I take physics I'm going to see if the teacher will let me do something like that. I think I'll bring in my hybrid. I'll shoot 1x combustion, then pneumatic, then as a hybrid and compare the results. You could do something similar if you work your ass off on this hybrid that you're going to do soon (or possibly), according to your signature.
wait a second, you changed it, never mind.

[rna_duelers]

What the hell does a spudgun have in common with Biology?How many trees you can hit at different distances?Or which potato has better projectile properties...Seriously,how are you going to weave a spudgun into Biology?A C:B ratio doesn't have much to do with plants or animals.

Maybe you could genetically modify a plant that actually shoots potatoes,or grows PVC pipe.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

What the hell does a spudgun have in common with Biology?How many trees you can hit at different distances?Or which potato has better projectile properties...Seriously,how are you going to weave a spudgun into Biology?A C:B ratio doesn't have much to do with plants or animals.

I would have though potatoes were an obvious link

A quite interesting project would be "What flies furthest, the chicken or the egg"?

[Lentamentalisk]

lol! good point rna, but obviously NoN has a really cool science teacher who is more interested that their students learn, than what subject it is, of if it could kill someone...

[Blackett]

yup iv'e gotten away with this before in physics but I also had to do the math part like calculating trajectories and making graphs and ratios and the deal where all the laws apply..

anyhow it was cool.

I think what you should go for should be something like: Power contained in household aerosols and use a control

or how rifling affects trajectories or something along those lines.

or sounds pressure levels based on barrel length.

or test safety glass. always fun.

[noob of noobs]

The safety glasses idea sounds cool! Our project doesn't have to do with biology, just scientific method, so cannons are okay.
As for a hybrid, I decided that I should probably construct another more advanced combustion first (the only combustion I ever did was the extremely basic one). Also, I kind of ran out of places to shoot any decent sized cannon, so a hybrid seems a bit far fetched. But maybe, the things due in January, so I got time...
The different aerosols sounds good, but it'll be hard to control the amount of aerosols put into the cannon.

[jackssmirkingrevenge]

or test safety glass. always fun.

Safety glasses are extremely tough targets. From my tests a half gram air rifle pellet at 850 feet per second or a 1 gram pellet at 550 feet per second will destroy the frame from the impact force but won't actually penetrate the lens. My friends tell me that they can resist a close range impact from birdshot from a 12 gauge shotgun.

The only success I've had against safety glasses was using a saboted half inch ball bearing shot from my 3/4" piston cannon - and again, the penetration wasn't an actual hole, the lens simply shattered into 3 pieces.

[jimmy101]

Safety glasses does sound like a good project. Maybe compare real safety glases with cheapo sun glases?

[Blackett]

Ha no i said glass not glasses, but come to think of it this misunderstanding is even better.

[Blackett]

Measure gas output volume form nozzle or substitute a nozzle you allready know the output from a new can of said aerosol.

[HaiThar]

It has to do with the scientific method.... >_>. How many times do you have to learn that....

Anyway, maybe do a piston? You are trying to prove the pressure laws or whatever they are...A physics teacher would enjoy that...