Rube Golberg Machine
A Golberg Machine is a contraption that is deliberately over-engineered to preform a very simple task in a very complicated fashion.
Project Description:
Our project has ten steps in total with five simple machines. In the first step we use a wheel and axle to hold back a cylindrical mass that is on an inclined plane. In the second step the ball rolls down the inclined plane and into a hole striking a ball. Then in the third step the ball rolls down a series of switch back inclined planes. In step five the ball hits a lever pulling up a wedge attached to the other side. In step six a ball then rolls down an inclined plane with a rope attached to it. Then in step seven the rope attached to the ball goes around a pulley. In step seven the pulley pulls up a lever. In step eight the previous lever releases a second lever. In step nine the second lever hits a golf ball. Finally in step ten the golf ball hits a cup of water spilling it over a lego guy and thus accomplishing our end goal of the ALS ice bucket challenge. |
Reflection:
Throughout the course of our project we had many ups and downs, problems and fixes. But all of these helped me learn how to do things better the next time around. Our team worked very well together but we did have some flaws. One of those flaws was time management in the beginning of the project it took us a while to get started. Once we realized that we were running out of time we got stressed and we had to work fast. We did end up finishing our project on time but it helped me learn how valuable and helpful time management can be. I also thought that i did a good job in helping my group members with building the project and doing my work to the best of my ability. This is also one of the things I could have done better on though. My dad is a construction worker so i have the expectation that everybody knows how to use power to tools the correct way, because i thought this I would say things to my other group members about buildings that I thought would be obvious but they did not understand. This has helped me learn a life lesson that I should not expect everybody to know what I know and that I should explain things to them as if it is some if they didn't know what I was talking about. I also learned as a lesson that you should never underestimate anyone. while working i thought certain people would not be able to finish the project but i underestimated the them and they did great. An example of our team all working together was when in step three instead of switch backs we wanted a screw. We could not figure out any way to fix our problem with the screw so we just decided to scrap it. This is also another lesson I learned, sometimes thing don't work properly and the best thing to do is just to throw it out and start all over again.
Throughout the course of our project we had many ups and downs, problems and fixes. But all of these helped me learn how to do things better the next time around. Our team worked very well together but we did have some flaws. One of those flaws was time management in the beginning of the project it took us a while to get started. Once we realized that we were running out of time we got stressed and we had to work fast. We did end up finishing our project on time but it helped me learn how valuable and helpful time management can be. I also thought that i did a good job in helping my group members with building the project and doing my work to the best of my ability. This is also one of the things I could have done better on though. My dad is a construction worker so i have the expectation that everybody knows how to use power to tools the correct way, because i thought this I would say things to my other group members about buildings that I thought would be obvious but they did not understand. This has helped me learn a life lesson that I should not expect everybody to know what I know and that I should explain things to them as if it is some if they didn't know what I was talking about. I also learned as a lesson that you should never underestimate anyone. while working i thought certain people would not be able to finish the project but i underestimated the them and they did great. An example of our team all working together was when in step three instead of switch backs we wanted a screw. We could not figure out any way to fix our problem with the screw so we just decided to scrap it. This is also another lesson I learned, sometimes thing don't work properly and the best thing to do is just to throw it out and start all over again.
Concepts:
- Force- Force can be described as a push or pull. It is calculated by multiplying mass and acceleration. It is measured in Newtons. Our ball had a force when hitting the lever.
- Speed/Velocity- Speed is the amount of distance an object covers in a given amount of time, and velocity is speed with a direction. They are calculated by dividing distance and time. Velocity is measured in meters per second. our ball had a speed when rolling down an inclined plane.
- Mechanical Advantage- Mechanical advantage is how much easier the machine makes work. This is calculated by dividing the input distance by the output distance. Our lever had a mechanical advantage.
- Work- Work is the amount of force applied to move an object a certain distance. It is calculated by multiplying force and distance. Work is measured in joules.The cylindrical mass did work.
- Potential Energy- Potential energy is the energy of an object in a certain position. PE is calculated by multiplying mass, acceleration due to gravity, and the height of the object. Potential energy is measured in joules. The ball had a potential energy at the top of the ramp.
- Kinetic Energy- Kinetic energy is how much energy an object has due to motion. It is calculated by multiplying 1/2 mass and velocity squared. . Kinetic energy is also measured in joules, kinetic energy, potential energy and work are all equal to each other. The balls potential energy turns into kinetic energy a sit reaches the bottom of the ramp.
- Impulse- Impulse is the amount of force applied for a given amount of time. It is calculated by multiplying force and time. Impulse is measured in newton seconds. When the golf ball hit the cup it had an impulse.
- Momentum- Momentum is how much energy a moving object carries with it. It is calculated by multiplying mass and velocity. Momentum is measured in kilograms meters per second. Any ball in our project had a momentum
- Acceleration- Acceleration is the rate of change in an object's motion. It is calculated by dividing the change in velocity and the change in time. Acceleration is measured in meters per second squared. Any ball in our project has nan acceleration.