Gourd Torque from HowStuffWorks

In order to understand the allure of Punkin Chunkin and the passion of those who are involved in the various gourd-throwing events around the U.S., you need to know a little about the mechanics involved.

Basically, the goal of Punkin Chunkin is to hurl an object through the air. But there are three primary mechanisms used to achieve this, according to HowStuffWorks.

1. The catapult: the winched-down bucket that people normally think about when they hear the word "catapult".

2. The ballista: a very large crossbow.

3. A trebuchet: a weighted beam that swings a sling carrying the projectile.

For more about how catapults work and even more about the types of modern machines used to throw the pumpkins so far, go to HowStuffWorks.com.

Want more about history and science behind catapults?

Read about ancient castle defenses.

Find out more about crossbows.

Discover some of the science behind pumpkin hurling.