Flipping a Pancake
A Rube Goldberg machine is a device engineered to complete a simple task in a complex manner. Using the materials provided for us, our team designed a Rube Goldberg machine to flip a pancake from an improvised spatula to a paper plate. We have incorperated the information we have learned from our physics and engineering class in each step of the machine as well as an artistic design throughout the project.
Physics Concepts in Our Design
Velocity
Velocity is the rate of distance covered in a direction. To calculate the velocity of an object, you divide the change of distance of the object(initial to final) by the change in time(initial to final). It is similar to speed, but involves direction which speed does not. We found the velocity of all the moving objects in or machine, such as the marbles, race car, and the wheel and axel.
Acceleration
Acceleration is the speeding up or slowing down of an object. It is calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time (a=Δv/Δt). Acceleration's unit of measurement is m/s^2. We found the acceleration of all the objects that are falling, speeding up, and slowing down; such as the dominos falling, the car speeding up due to gravity, and the marbles slowing down after hitting the mixing bowl.
Force
Force is a push or pull on an object. To find the force of an object, calculate the product of the mass of the object and the acceleration of the object. Force is measured in newtons. We were able to find the force of all of the objects on our machine, because even if an object is not moving, it is still exerting a force due to the acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s^2).
Work
Work is the amount of force used to make an object move. To calculate work, multiply force and distance together. Work is measured by joules. Work can be calculated anywhere where a force is moving an object, such as the car moving the marbles or gravity moving the car down the ramp.
Potential Energy
Potential energy is the energy an object has because of its position to move. Gravitational potential energy can be calculated by multiplying the mass of an object, the gravitational pull, and the height of the object together. In our project the weights, cups, marbles and dominos all have a potential energy as well as other objects.
Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy is energy due to motion. To calculate this, use the equation KE=0.5mv^2. The work, potential energy, and kinetic energy of an object will always be equal to eat other. Kinetic energy can be calculated by any objects in motion on the machine, such as the marbles, car, and the dominos.
Momentum
Momentum is how much an object wants to keep going. Find the product of an object's mass and an object's velocity to find it's momentum. If an object has motion, it will always have momentum; any objects in motion on our machine have momentum.
Impulse
The amount of force and the amount of time exerted on an object. To calculate impulse, multiply an object's force and the time that force is exerted. Any objects that put force on something has an impulse.
Power
Power is the rate of doing work. To find the power of an object , divide the work the object does by the time it does it. Power is measured in watts. Any objects doing work will have power.
Velocity is the rate of distance covered in a direction. To calculate the velocity of an object, you divide the change of distance of the object(initial to final) by the change in time(initial to final). It is similar to speed, but involves direction which speed does not. We found the velocity of all the moving objects in or machine, such as the marbles, race car, and the wheel and axel.
Acceleration
Acceleration is the speeding up or slowing down of an object. It is calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time (a=Δv/Δt). Acceleration's unit of measurement is m/s^2. We found the acceleration of all the objects that are falling, speeding up, and slowing down; such as the dominos falling, the car speeding up due to gravity, and the marbles slowing down after hitting the mixing bowl.
Force
Force is a push or pull on an object. To find the force of an object, calculate the product of the mass of the object and the acceleration of the object. Force is measured in newtons. We were able to find the force of all of the objects on our machine, because even if an object is not moving, it is still exerting a force due to the acceleration of gravity (9.8 m/s^2).
Work
Work is the amount of force used to make an object move. To calculate work, multiply force and distance together. Work is measured by joules. Work can be calculated anywhere where a force is moving an object, such as the car moving the marbles or gravity moving the car down the ramp.
Potential Energy
Potential energy is the energy an object has because of its position to move. Gravitational potential energy can be calculated by multiplying the mass of an object, the gravitational pull, and the height of the object together. In our project the weights, cups, marbles and dominos all have a potential energy as well as other objects.
Kinetic Energy
Kinetic energy is energy due to motion. To calculate this, use the equation KE=0.5mv^2. The work, potential energy, and kinetic energy of an object will always be equal to eat other. Kinetic energy can be calculated by any objects in motion on the machine, such as the marbles, car, and the dominos.
Momentum
Momentum is how much an object wants to keep going. Find the product of an object's mass and an object's velocity to find it's momentum. If an object has motion, it will always have momentum; any objects in motion on our machine have momentum.
Impulse
The amount of force and the amount of time exerted on an object. To calculate impulse, multiply an object's force and the time that force is exerted. Any objects that put force on something has an impulse.
Power
Power is the rate of doing work. To find the power of an object , divide the work the object does by the time it does it. Power is measured in watts. Any objects doing work will have power.
Other Concepts Linked to our Machine
Simple Machines
Simple machines are devices that change physics concepts to make the task at hand easier. There are six different simple machines that include the pulley, the inclined plane, the wedge, the screw, the wheel and axel, and the lever. Our project includes five of these simple machines. The pulley, the inclined plane, the wheel and axel, the wedge, and the lever were all used at least one time on our project.
Simple machines are devices that change physics concepts to make the task at hand easier. There are six different simple machines that include the pulley, the inclined plane, the wedge, the screw, the wheel and axel, and the lever. Our project includes five of these simple machines. The pulley, the inclined plane, the wheel and axel, the wedge, and the lever were all used at least one time on our project.
Reflection
I learned that a group will be much more successful and productive if leadership is split among group members. Although one leader may lead the group to a conclusion faster, the quality of the work will usually be less prominent and overall worse. I learned teammates will also be more willing to be productive if you really express your respect of their opinions. Our group ended up short on time. Our building days ended up overlapping calculation and testing days. Next time I will make sure our group is productive and finishes building on time so we can prepare to present. I will continue to work on my productivity in class to make sure we will certainly have time to tweak the project if it has a problem. We will work on the consistency of the start to make sure the car is consistent in force to knock both the marbles and the weight with the right amount of force.