Rube Goldberg Machine
Our first project of this year was building a Rube Goldberg machine. A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex machine that performs a simple task. A Rube Goldberg machine is a chain reaction of many steps. Our end result was ringing a bell three times. It had three layers and 10 steps. Our first step was pushing a lever to make four golf balls go. Three of the four golf balls fall into individual lever cups that put enough weight on the levers to make a long piece of wood fall that then sets of a chain reaction of wooden dominoes. While the dominoes fell the fourth golf ball rolled down a ramp and fell through a tube and rolled down a spiral. As the golf ball rolled down the spiral the dominoes have fallen and cause another chain reaction. The dominoes hit one domino causing it to fall into a pulley cup, and with the help of five marbles the pulley is able to lift a wedge that makes a car start rolling down an inclined plane. The car then rolls into a light domino that sets of another chain reaction of dominoes. The last domino of this reaction hits the bell and causes one of the three rings. At the same time another chain reaction of dominoes was caused by a small domino falling into a small cup attached to a large domino that set of the chain reaction. The last domino of this reaction causes the second ring. At the same time as all these reactions occur the fourth golf ball finished rolling down the spiral and without contacting anything else causes the third and final ring.
Calculations Step 1: 5/8*5/8=25/64 = 2.6 MA ideal MA= F load/ F effort MA real= 1.2N/ 0.4N= 3 Step 2: F= ma 1.2N=0.0455kg (a) a=26.4 m/s ^2 Step 3: v= change d/ change t v= 0.85 m/ 1.87 sec Average Velocity= 0.45m/s Step 4: Beginning of spiral 0m/0s =v= 0m/s End of spiral 0.64m/ 0.64s=v= 1m/s Step 5: p= mv p = 0.0455kg * 0.75 m/s p= 0.034 Ns KE=1/2 mv^2 KE= 1/2 * 0.0455* 0.75 ^2 KE= 0.013J Step 6: PEg=mgh PEg=0.0455* 9.8 m/s^2 * 0.1m PEg= 0.045J each *3 balls= PEg= 0.133J total Step 7: MAreal= F load/ F effort MA= 0.55kg/ 0.1365 kg MA= 4 Step 8: F= ma F= 0.05* 9.8 m/s ^2 F= 0.04 kg* 9.8 m/s ^2 F=0.5N > F= 0.4N Step 9: MA ideal= d effort/ d load PEg= mgh MA= 0.5m/ 0.1m PEg= 0.035kg* 9.8 m/s^2* 0.1m MA= 5 PEg= 0.54J Step 10: PEg= mgh PEg= 0.23kg* 9.8 m/s^2 * 0.25m PEg= 0.56J What went well with our project was agreeing on what we wanted to do and coming up with those ideas. Agreeing on what we wanted worked well because we all decided to agree on the end result and then we decided to each come up with some ideas as our steps and after we decided which of all these steps we would take to build our project to reach our end result. This worked well because we found a way of communication that worked well for us. Although this part worked well, we could have worked a little hared with all of us doing some part of everything instead of doing a little of most things. During this project I gained many skills. These skills include learning how to use an electric chain saw, and learning how to properly use a drill. One thing that I could have and will improve on during the next project is executing my ideas. Another thing that I will improve on in the future is taking a leadership role in some part of the project. |