Rube Goldberg
PROJECT HISTORY: This past month we have been constructing our Rube Goldberg projects. It was a lot of fun, but it was also challenging experience. Within the eleven days we had to work on and complete our project. My group built a machine that knocks over a cup of water onto a leggo guy. The first day we drew out a two-dimensional picture of what we thought our project should look like. The second day we were given a sixteen square foot board to build our design on. We were originally going to stand the board up, but we thought it would have more support if it was cut in half. We spent the next eight days building our project, modifying the original plan so it worked how we wanted it to. Some of our changes are that we had originally wanted to have a screw going down the middle of the board, but after trying everything we could including burning rubber, it wouldn't work, so we took that out and added a wheel and axle. Another change we had is that we were going to have a ball roll down a ramp at the beginning, but after trying a few other things we found that it would be more interesting if we rolled a 200gram weight down the ramp. The last two days we spray painted our project patriotic colors (red, white, and blue).
STEPS TO OUR PROJECT: In step one of our project, the 200gram weight is held in place with the wheel and axle. In step two, the weight is released from behind the wheel and axle and rolls down the ramp. In step three, the weight hits a ball. In step four, the ball that was hit rolls down a ramp. In step five, the ball rolls down two switchbacks. In step six, the ball hits a lever pulling up the other side. In step seven, a ball that was under the leaver rolls down a ramp and a string on a pulley pulls up a lever. In step eight, the lever swings down and hits a golf ball. In step nine, a ball rolls over a wedge and rolls down a ramp. In step ten, the golf ball hits a cup of water and the water spills an a LEGO guy. (A video of our project is below)
PROJECT HISTORY: This past month we have been constructing our Rube Goldberg projects. It was a lot of fun, but it was also challenging experience. Within the eleven days we had to work on and complete our project. My group built a machine that knocks over a cup of water onto a leggo guy. The first day we drew out a two-dimensional picture of what we thought our project should look like. The second day we were given a sixteen square foot board to build our design on. We were originally going to stand the board up, but we thought it would have more support if it was cut in half. We spent the next eight days building our project, modifying the original plan so it worked how we wanted it to. Some of our changes are that we had originally wanted to have a screw going down the middle of the board, but after trying everything we could including burning rubber, it wouldn't work, so we took that out and added a wheel and axle. Another change we had is that we were going to have a ball roll down a ramp at the beginning, but after trying a few other things we found that it would be more interesting if we rolled a 200gram weight down the ramp. The last two days we spray painted our project patriotic colors (red, white, and blue).
STEPS TO OUR PROJECT: In step one of our project, the 200gram weight is held in place with the wheel and axle. In step two, the weight is released from behind the wheel and axle and rolls down the ramp. In step three, the weight hits a ball. In step four, the ball that was hit rolls down a ramp. In step five, the ball rolls down two switchbacks. In step six, the ball hits a lever pulling up the other side. In step seven, a ball that was under the leaver rolls down a ramp and a string on a pulley pulls up a lever. In step eight, the lever swings down and hits a golf ball. In step nine, a ball rolls over a wedge and rolls down a ramp. In step ten, the golf ball hits a cup of water and the water spills an a LEGO guy. (A video of our project is below)
CONCEPTS:
Acceleration: The time rate of change of velocity with respect to magnitude or direction. Example: The ball accelerates down the inclined plane at 1.225m/s^2.
Force: A dynamic influence that changes a body from a state of rest to one of motion or changes its rate of motion. Example: The weight strikes the ball with a force of 8.2N (Force=Work*Distance)
Impulse: A sudden flow of electrical current in one direction. Example: The golf ball hits the cup with an impulse of 0.4N.s (Force*Time)
Kinetic Energy: The energy of a body or a system with respect to the motion of the body or of the particles in the system. Example: The ball gains 1.41 Joules of Kinetic Energy rolling down the ramp. (1/2 mass*velocity^2)
Mechanical Advantage: The ratio of output force to the input for applied to mechanism. Example: The lever has a mechanical advantage of 1.2. (input distance/output distance)
Momentum: A quantity expressing the motion of a body or system. How long or how much something gets pushed. Example: Golf ball rolling down ramp after getting hit by lever. (Mass*Velocity)
Speed/Velocity: The time rate of change of position of a body in a specific direction. (Distance/Time)
Work: Force applied to move an object a certain distance. (W=F*D)
REFLECTION: I thought our project went very well and I thought we had a very good presentation at the STEM night. I felt that we were very organized. Our group worked very well together. We were all able to really contribute. I did feel like we were kind of rushed the last few building days because we had not been very progressive, but we were able to change that. Before this project, I wasn't very familiar with any of the tools and I am glad that I was able to learn how to use them. I liked being able to compare our beginning model and our final models. A few things I had mentioned is the changes we had to make throughout the project (use wheel and axle instead of screw, and use 200gram weight to start instead of silver ball). I thought it was cool to discover what other objects you could use for different parts of the machine. Two things we could have done better is that we could have managed our time better, and been more on task at times. I thought this was a great experience and I learned a lot from it.