Engineering Challenge- Spring Loaded Kicker Edition

[Mike Schreiber]

Analyzing the problem:

P=MV You want full travel out of your system to give you the most time for your mass to accelerate and have the largest velocity and therefore momentum (P) at impact.

Analyzing the choices:

A. More springs

Cause your motor to stall with less displacement on the spring. Most likely an equal force, but there is less distance between your kicker and the ball for the mass of your kicker to accelerate.

B. Less springs

More stroke -> more time for the mass to accelerate -> more momentum at impact -> farther shot

C. Do nothing

What kind of engineering is this?

D. Frictionless bearings

Those'd help but I don't think the pit admin table has any.

E. Blame the programmer

As much as I'd like to....