Prior to gunpowder, which mechanism enabled Roman siege catapults (ballistae) to achieve significant projectile range?

💡 Explanation

Before chemical explosives, ballistae achieved range primarily through torsion where twisted sinew ropes store and release elastic potential energy, accelerating projectiles. Therefore, torsion launch was key, rather than combustion, pneumatics, or electromagnetic forces, which require advanced materials untrue of the setting.

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