project description
During this physics project, we explored the six different types of simple machines and energy. We then put our knowledge into creating a Rube Goldberg machine. Rube Goldberg was a man in the 1800s who drew cartoons of making crazy thought out steps to complete a simple task. Kind of like a chain reaction leading up to one thing that would otherwise be easy to complete without all the fancy-ness.
video product
project reflection
Energy is, by definition, “a principle stating that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be altered from one form to another.” In my mind, this means that once there's work created by anything, there is also energy that comes with the work. Whether the energy is what is doing the work, or what is being moved or transferred by the work, one the energy starts it doesn’t stop until stopped by an outside force. In my rube, the energy starts with the marble being pushed. It is then transferred between each step, until eventually completing my simple task. A good example of an energy transfer in my rube is the pulley system, there's energy in the moving cups, and that energy is transferred to my level once the cups from the pulley push it over.
What are these magical simple machines you speak of julia? You might ask. Well, a simple machine is anything that uses or makes a force or energy. There is in fact, wait for it…. SIX different ones! The special six simple machines are inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, and screw
Believe it or not, my rube has every single simple machine integrated into it. I have an incline plane that my wheel and axle rolls down, a lever that pushed over my wheel and axle, a wedge in my zipper, cutting in between the fabric, a pulley with two cups managed by a marble falling into them, and a screw in between my lever. However, as you may see in my video I’ve included a challenge step of a 360 loop that my marble goes through at the beginning. I learned a lot about time management and crafting small little things during this project. One of my biggest challenges was getting my 360 loop to work. I had to use a lot of tape, a lot of cardboard, and had a lot of failed attempts. The only way I got it to work was to just keep trying, even when I was frustrated I just kept on trying to get it to work. I eventually got a pretty decent result, or at least something I’m happy with / proud of. For this reason, I believe perseverance was my strongest trait during this project, and I say that with confidence. :)
What are these magical simple machines you speak of julia? You might ask. Well, a simple machine is anything that uses or makes a force or energy. There is in fact, wait for it…. SIX different ones! The special six simple machines are inclined plane, lever, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley, and screw
Believe it or not, my rube has every single simple machine integrated into it. I have an incline plane that my wheel and axle rolls down, a lever that pushed over my wheel and axle, a wedge in my zipper, cutting in between the fabric, a pulley with two cups managed by a marble falling into them, and a screw in between my lever. However, as you may see in my video I’ve included a challenge step of a 360 loop that my marble goes through at the beginning. I learned a lot about time management and crafting small little things during this project. One of my biggest challenges was getting my 360 loop to work. I had to use a lot of tape, a lot of cardboard, and had a lot of failed attempts. The only way I got it to work was to just keep trying, even when I was frustrated I just kept on trying to get it to work. I eventually got a pretty decent result, or at least something I’m happy with / proud of. For this reason, I believe perseverance was my strongest trait during this project, and I say that with confidence. :)