Rube Goldberg Machine
Rube Goldberg is a complicated way to get an easy task done. Our simple task is to lend a pencil to our friend but it takes many steps to get there.
We started out with an incline plane, which is sort of a trough shaped like a "v" that the marble rolls down. After the inclined plane is a pulley with a mechanical advantage of one. The marble rolls down the inclined plane and goes into a bucket releasing a nail that also releases another tiny marble. The marble rolls down a second inclined plane and goes through a screw or a spiral-shaped PVC pipe. The marble gets spit out, triggering a sequence of falling dominoes. The last domino hits a class one lever that has a string connected to it and a piece of cardboard. The domino makes it so the lever falls down, and cardboard goes with it. A mass is attached to the cardboard, and gravity allows to slide down a zipline. Next the mass then hits a truck, which receives the energy that is transferred from the mass. The truck then gets sent back, pushing another mass off the ledge. The mass is attached to another pulley, so when the mass falls, the string on the pulley tightens and straightens up. The string operates a pair of scissors, which cuts another string that is holding a rubber band. The rubber band has a pencil resting on it, and when the sting gets cut it, it shoots the pencil out like a slingshot.
We have had many problems with the PVC. Originally the sides were too narrow, allowing the ball to get stuck in it. Also, in the last step, our string kept snapping, and we had to keep tying it over and over again.
Our project includes the following physics concepts:
- Work is the force on a body of displacement of the point of application in the direction of that force. Without any direction there would be no work being applied. To calculate work you use the formula w=force x distance. In our project this is used by the mass hitting the truck and the dominoes hitting the lever.
- Mechanical advantage is how much easier a task is done using a machine. It is often used for pulleys but since we only have one per machine the pulley has a mechanical advantage of 1. We also use mechanical advantage in wheel and axils, screws, wedges, leavers, and inclined planes. The formula is ma=output force/input force.
- Friction is the force resisting the motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material that has two objects sliding on it. Everything has friction on earth but outer space has none because there is no air. Friction is consistent in our project for almost everything like the marble rolling down the inclined planes, the mass falling down the zipline, when the marble rolls down the pvc pipe, and ect.
- Force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a change. In Newtons laws it states that a object at rest stays at rest while an object in motion should stay in motion. Every element in our project has some sort of force acting on it. The standard unit is a Newtons. Its formula is f= mass x acceleration.
- Velocity is speed with direction while speed is how fast an object moves. Speed is used throughout the project but so is velocity. Velocitys formula is v=d/t. Speeds formula is speed= distance traveled x time.
- Potential energy is the energy of an object or a system due to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of a system. Potential energies formula is Pe=mass x gravity x height. It is used when the marble transfers all its potential energy to the domino and when the mass hits the truck.
- Kinetic energy is when the objects energy which it possesses due to its motion. Kinetic energy is used while the dominos hit each other transferring the potential energy into kinetic energy and when the mass transfers its Pe to Ke. The formula is Ke= 1/2 x mass x velocity squared.
From art class i got some turf to make the machine look nicer and less barren. Plus we painted the surrounding spaces blue to give it the look of an ocean.
I have learned that i love to use power tools. I've never used power tools and it was kind of a rush. Power tools have always been a little too sketchy for my taste. Now I have learned how to saw, drill, and hammer different objects. Also i have gained the skill of letting other people to step up, not to take such a demanding leadership role. Usually i have been the leader of my groups but since I have very intelligent group mates to work with I can step down a little bit and we can all be co-leaders.
I could have expressed my thoughts better and more clearly so others better understand what I said. I have good ideas but sometimes I can't say as well as i could have. Also I should present better and be more accurate in my choice of words. I have a couple of setbacks when i talk because I'm shy, I sometimes don't know where to put my hands, and ect.
In all, this has been my favorite project that I have ever worked on. I can't wait to see what we do next.
We started out with an incline plane, which is sort of a trough shaped like a "v" that the marble rolls down. After the inclined plane is a pulley with a mechanical advantage of one. The marble rolls down the inclined plane and goes into a bucket releasing a nail that also releases another tiny marble. The marble rolls down a second inclined plane and goes through a screw or a spiral-shaped PVC pipe. The marble gets spit out, triggering a sequence of falling dominoes. The last domino hits a class one lever that has a string connected to it and a piece of cardboard. The domino makes it so the lever falls down, and cardboard goes with it. A mass is attached to the cardboard, and gravity allows to slide down a zipline. Next the mass then hits a truck, which receives the energy that is transferred from the mass. The truck then gets sent back, pushing another mass off the ledge. The mass is attached to another pulley, so when the mass falls, the string on the pulley tightens and straightens up. The string operates a pair of scissors, which cuts another string that is holding a rubber band. The rubber band has a pencil resting on it, and when the sting gets cut it, it shoots the pencil out like a slingshot.
We have had many problems with the PVC. Originally the sides were too narrow, allowing the ball to get stuck in it. Also, in the last step, our string kept snapping, and we had to keep tying it over and over again.
Our project includes the following physics concepts:
- Work is the force on a body of displacement of the point of application in the direction of that force. Without any direction there would be no work being applied. To calculate work you use the formula w=force x distance. In our project this is used by the mass hitting the truck and the dominoes hitting the lever.
- Mechanical advantage is how much easier a task is done using a machine. It is often used for pulleys but since we only have one per machine the pulley has a mechanical advantage of 1. We also use mechanical advantage in wheel and axils, screws, wedges, leavers, and inclined planes. The formula is ma=output force/input force.
- Friction is the force resisting the motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and material that has two objects sliding on it. Everything has friction on earth but outer space has none because there is no air. Friction is consistent in our project for almost everything like the marble rolling down the inclined planes, the mass falling down the zipline, when the marble rolls down the pvc pipe, and ect.
- Force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a change. In Newtons laws it states that a object at rest stays at rest while an object in motion should stay in motion. Every element in our project has some sort of force acting on it. The standard unit is a Newtons. Its formula is f= mass x acceleration.
- Velocity is speed with direction while speed is how fast an object moves. Speed is used throughout the project but so is velocity. Velocitys formula is v=d/t. Speeds formula is speed= distance traveled x time.
- Potential energy is the energy of an object or a system due to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of a system. Potential energies formula is Pe=mass x gravity x height. It is used when the marble transfers all its potential energy to the domino and when the mass hits the truck.
- Kinetic energy is when the objects energy which it possesses due to its motion. Kinetic energy is used while the dominos hit each other transferring the potential energy into kinetic energy and when the mass transfers its Pe to Ke. The formula is Ke= 1/2 x mass x velocity squared.
From art class i got some turf to make the machine look nicer and less barren. Plus we painted the surrounding spaces blue to give it the look of an ocean.
I have learned that i love to use power tools. I've never used power tools and it was kind of a rush. Power tools have always been a little too sketchy for my taste. Now I have learned how to saw, drill, and hammer different objects. Also i have gained the skill of letting other people to step up, not to take such a demanding leadership role. Usually i have been the leader of my groups but since I have very intelligent group mates to work with I can step down a little bit and we can all be co-leaders.
I could have expressed my thoughts better and more clearly so others better understand what I said. I have good ideas but sometimes I can't say as well as i could have. Also I should present better and be more accurate in my choice of words. I have a couple of setbacks when i talk because I'm shy, I sometimes don't know where to put my hands, and ect.
In all, this has been my favorite project that I have ever worked on. I can't wait to see what we do next.