S'up World. Let's get right to it... So while building a trebuchet (not a catapult), I learned several important things:

a) I'm not much of a carpenter... or one at all. I clearly need to by one of those hands-off, not hands-on kind of scientists

serious trebuchets take more time to build then one thinks, but surprisingly less money than i thought (not that i was paying for it)

c) Physics of it (specifically on the main beam, ignoring the mass of the beam): Our counterweight consisted of 125 pounds of weights, which is approx. 57 kg or (in weight/force) 570 Newtons. This force was multiplied by the distance to fulcrum (in our case a rod), which was significantly shorter on the counterweight side than the other side. Due to the lack of weight on the other end of the beam (even though the length was longer), there was a net torque (Torque=F cross L) in the counterclockwise direction, causing the beam to move CCW, accelerating the ball at the long end of the beam and flinging it off into the darkening Rochester sky... when it worked right. Though to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why the throwing section of the beam should be longer, because wouldn't it generate a the same torque but a bigger force if it was closer? unless the length is only included so you can launch at a greater height... Anyways cool experience for the Swagmeister, I'll see you all on the the battlefield of physics