In this project we were to design a project that would help you survive out in the cold through generating heat. Before we started working on what our experiment would be. We went through the process of what makes a good experimental question. After looking at what makes a good experimental question we then got together with our group. Together as a group we figured out what our experimental question would be. Our experimental question was: How does an average heart rate affect heat generation compared to a heat rate when you are running for 2 minutes compared to doing jumping jacks for 2 minutes?
Our group had different roles we had to do to complete through this project. My two roles were Documenter and Researcher. I feel like I accomplished these roles and I feel like I took the roles of my other group members as well. Our group had a few disagreements with participation. I feel like I also took the role of Designer, Resource Manager, and Leader.
Rube Goldberg:
This was our first exhibition as a 9th grade and during this exhibition we showcased our rube goldberg machines. Rube Goldberg was a man who was well known for his funny comic strips, but his comic strips showed simple actions, like pouring water into a glass, through multiple steps. As a class we used physics concepts to create our very own rube goldberg machines. After learning and demonstrating these physics concepts (Examples: force, acceleration, energy, power, etc). We began our construction of our rube. The requirements for this project were we had to have a space that was constructed at least 2 feet X 2 feet X 3 feet. Our rube must work for at least 20 seconds without any help. We should have at least twelve steps. There must be two different simple machines. There should be one object raised twelve inches high. I am happy to say all of these requirements were reached by our group!
Here are a few talking points for the exhibition:
What steps were most challenging to make work? (How did you troubleshoot or redesign) The most challenging step was getting the track to lead right to the mouse trap. We needed to release a string with weights attatched, to fall onto paint that would squeeze out onto a canvas. This step was hard because we weren't able to connect the string to the mousetrap, nor were we able to get the mouse trap triggered. After being persistent with remodeling it we were able to connect a bolt to the string so that it would get caught in the mouse trap. Then we had the track lead directly to the trigger so that it would release the bolt and have the weights fall onto the paint tubes.
What one physics concept from your analysis is most important to the overall function of your rube. Velocity and Kinetic Energy are the two most important physics concepts in our rube. Velocity pertains to the speed at which an object goes in a certain given direction. In our rube there is a lot of change in speed, so velocity plays big roles in our rube. Kinetic Energy is basically the object's motion. At some point in everyone's rube each step moves in some sort of way which is what kinetic energy is.
Personally what was your biggest contribution to the project? My biggest contribution was writing up the analysis. As well as leading and constructing the rube.
Here is the video of our rube creating art work. We were very happy that it worked, sadly we did not get a video when it worked all the way through, but just imagine it working with out the editing I did. :)
Our rube starts off with a car going down a ramp, the car hits a block that swings. The block that swings hits a domino. After this step there is a domino effect the last domino hits a ball bearing that begins rolling toward a ramp that knocks off a marble. The marble rolls down a ramp that then continues onto a teeter totter to roll up then down onto a ramp underneath it. The marble then rolls down the ramp to come out through a whole. Another domino effect happens. A marble is then knocked by the very last domino, the marble releases down a tube. (This tube later turning into a track is very important because it connects the steps at the top of the rube with the steps at the bottom of the rube). Once the marble comes out of the tube, it hits a heavier marble causing that to roll onto a track that leads right to a mouse trap. When the mouse trap springs from the weight of the marble the string that is caught in the mouse trap with a bolt releases. This string is connected to a pulley holding weights that fall onto the tubes of paint exploding onto the canvass.