We built our Rube Goldberg Machine around our theme of music. The machine had 10 steps and 5 simple machines. We had three days to plan and nine days to build. This project taught us a lot about simple machines and physics.
In our three planning days, we first brainstormed different steps we could include and then created a cartoon of those steps in order. After that each of us created an initial blueprint, this was then refined into a final blueprint as we started building. Our first step is a guitar that acted as an inclined plane. After rolling on this, the ball gets lowered by a pulley into a PVC pipe made to look like a flute. Then, the ball enters a funnel which drops it onto a wood block. This is attached to a string and swings, starting a domino chain. The dominos trigger a ball which activate a lever and then a wheel and axle. Another ball is set off by the wheel and axle which rolls down the last ramp and hits the bell.
We learned about many different aspects of physics while constructing this project. All of these concepts tie into our machine in some way.
Velocity- velocity is the speed and direction of an object. It is found with the equation velocity=distance/time. The unit for velocity is m/s. Velocity is found in our project anywhere where things move, like the marbles or the falling element.
Acceleration- acceleration is amount an object is speeding up. This is found with the equation a=∆v/∆t. The unit for acceleration is m/s^2. Acceleration is found on our project where objects are falling or rolling, and speeding up.
Acceleration due to gravity- On Earth it is important to know the acceleration objects have when under the influence of gravity. This is 9.8m/s^2. This is included in our project when objects fall.
Force- force is an interaction on an object that can move it, like pushing or pulling something, throwing something or lifting something. Force is found with the formula force=mass X acceleration. This means when you are holding up an object, the object is still exerting a force downwards on you because of the acceleration due to gravity. Force uses Newtons as units. Force is apparent on our project anywhere where objects are moving or pushing other objects.
Work- work is a measure of force over a distance. The equation for work is work=force X distance. The unit for work is a Joule. The machine includes work when force is exerted over a distance.
Potential Energy- PE is energy that an object has because it is in a position where it could fall, move, or roll. The most useful calculation of PE is PE due to gravity, which is calculated by the equation PE=mass X gravity X height. The PE of an object is equal to the work it took to get it tho that position And also uses Joules as a unit. PE is found in our project when an object is in an elevated position.
Kinetic Energy- KE is energy an object has when it is in motion. The equation for KE is KE=1/2 X mass X velocity^2. The Unit for KE is also Joules and KE is equal to Work and PE. KE is evident in our project when objects are in motion.
Momentum- momentum is how much an object wants to keep going. The equation for momentum is momentum=mass X velocity. The unit for this is a kgm/s. Momentum is found in our project in the dominos.
Impulse- impulse is force over an extended period of time. The equation is impulse=force X time and the unit is a NS. Most of our machine components had very small impulse.
Simple Machine- A simple machine is something that that manipulates these concepts to make simple tasks easier. There are six simple machines: inclined plane, pulley, screw, lever, wheel and axle, and wedge.
I learned a lot during this project and it was a great foundation for my first year of STEM. I learned about many physics concepts and simple machines and I learned how to collaboratively combine this into a Rube Goldberg Machine. Our group did a great job of getting our project done on time, we fit the construction comfortably into our nine build days and still had room for fine tuning it. Our project also included all the requirements for the machine.
We also struggled with several things. We had trouble working as a group sometimes, part of the problem was that we didn't divide the roles up well. In the next project we will make sure everybody is working on something. Our presentation could also have been better. It was very short and didn't include every requirement. We will work more on presenting in the next project.
In our three planning days, we first brainstormed different steps we could include and then created a cartoon of those steps in order. After that each of us created an initial blueprint, this was then refined into a final blueprint as we started building. Our first step is a guitar that acted as an inclined plane. After rolling on this, the ball gets lowered by a pulley into a PVC pipe made to look like a flute. Then, the ball enters a funnel which drops it onto a wood block. This is attached to a string and swings, starting a domino chain. The dominos trigger a ball which activate a lever and then a wheel and axle. Another ball is set off by the wheel and axle which rolls down the last ramp and hits the bell.
We learned about many different aspects of physics while constructing this project. All of these concepts tie into our machine in some way.
Velocity- velocity is the speed and direction of an object. It is found with the equation velocity=distance/time. The unit for velocity is m/s. Velocity is found in our project anywhere where things move, like the marbles or the falling element.
Acceleration- acceleration is amount an object is speeding up. This is found with the equation a=∆v/∆t. The unit for acceleration is m/s^2. Acceleration is found on our project where objects are falling or rolling, and speeding up.
Acceleration due to gravity- On Earth it is important to know the acceleration objects have when under the influence of gravity. This is 9.8m/s^2. This is included in our project when objects fall.
Force- force is an interaction on an object that can move it, like pushing or pulling something, throwing something or lifting something. Force is found with the formula force=mass X acceleration. This means when you are holding up an object, the object is still exerting a force downwards on you because of the acceleration due to gravity. Force uses Newtons as units. Force is apparent on our project anywhere where objects are moving or pushing other objects.
Work- work is a measure of force over a distance. The equation for work is work=force X distance. The unit for work is a Joule. The machine includes work when force is exerted over a distance.
Potential Energy- PE is energy that an object has because it is in a position where it could fall, move, or roll. The most useful calculation of PE is PE due to gravity, which is calculated by the equation PE=mass X gravity X height. The PE of an object is equal to the work it took to get it tho that position And also uses Joules as a unit. PE is found in our project when an object is in an elevated position.
Kinetic Energy- KE is energy an object has when it is in motion. The equation for KE is KE=1/2 X mass X velocity^2. The Unit for KE is also Joules and KE is equal to Work and PE. KE is evident in our project when objects are in motion.
Momentum- momentum is how much an object wants to keep going. The equation for momentum is momentum=mass X velocity. The unit for this is a kgm/s. Momentum is found in our project in the dominos.
Impulse- impulse is force over an extended period of time. The equation is impulse=force X time and the unit is a NS. Most of our machine components had very small impulse.
Simple Machine- A simple machine is something that that manipulates these concepts to make simple tasks easier. There are six simple machines: inclined plane, pulley, screw, lever, wheel and axle, and wedge.
I learned a lot during this project and it was a great foundation for my first year of STEM. I learned about many physics concepts and simple machines and I learned how to collaboratively combine this into a Rube Goldberg Machine. Our group did a great job of getting our project done on time, we fit the construction comfortably into our nine build days and still had room for fine tuning it. Our project also included all the requirements for the machine.
We also struggled with several things. We had trouble working as a group sometimes, part of the problem was that we didn't divide the roles up well. In the next project we will make sure everybody is working on something. Our presentation could also have been better. It was very short and didn't include every requirement. We will work more on presenting in the next project.