By Olivia Matheson, Ashley Smith, Eliza Roesler, and Marilynn Hunt
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The unicar, that's not a name you often hear. That is the name of my group's car. We created it with wood, wheels, wire, screws, nails, rubber bands, and a lot of hard work. The goal for this project was to create an eco friendly car, that didn't run on gasoline or batteries. |
Concepts
Potential energy (PEspring): the amount of energy stored in the spring PEspring=1/2 kx²
We used this equation to see how much energy our car would start out with.
Kinetic energy (KE): energy caused by motion KE=1/2 mv²
This equation helped us see the rate at which the car was going.
Thermal energy: energy from heat, such as friction
The thermal energy helped us see the effect friction had on the car.
Spring constant (k): how easily a spring can expand and compress k=F/d
We used the spring constant to help determine our potential energy.
Collaboration: putting different ideas together to form a new idea
Our group decided the structure of our car by mixing different ideas together. We used the same base, but instead used a different top, which was a design we created as a group.
We used this equation to see how much energy our car would start out with.
Kinetic energy (KE): energy caused by motion KE=1/2 mv²
This equation helped us see the rate at which the car was going.
Thermal energy: energy from heat, such as friction
The thermal energy helped us see the effect friction had on the car.
Spring constant (k): how easily a spring can expand and compress k=F/d
We used the spring constant to help determine our potential energy.
Collaboration: putting different ideas together to form a new idea
Our group decided the structure of our car by mixing different ideas together. We used the same base, but instead used a different top, which was a design we created as a group.
Overview
Our challenge for this project was to create a vehicle that could travel exactly 5 meters quickly, while carrying 250 grams. They had to be cost efficient and use an alternate energy source to gasoline and electricity. We were given a few weeks to complete this assignment. At the beginning of the project our group was behind. We discussed different alternate energy ideas for almost three days before we made a decision. We were set on clockwork mechanisms until we couldn't find the correct size gears. My group decided to use spring energy in the form of rubber bands as our backup plan. We used two different sized rubber bands tied together. The rubber bands stretched from the nose of the car to the back axle, where it was wrapped around to pull the bands tight. Our group changed our idea a few times. Originally we were going to make our car a piggy bank made out of a Sunny D carton to hold the masses. The carton was a top to put over our base. We decided against this idea because we would have to elevate it from the base, or else it would rub on the wheels and axle. Instead, we built a platform that stood over our car. This idea worked a lot better because it left a large space for the rubber band to stretch across. The process of building our car took us about a week. We kept having to make adjustments.
Once we completed our car we started testing it. We had to count the amount of times we wrapped the rubber band around the axle to make it go exactly 5 meters. It took 13 rotations. Our group also found the spring constant of our rubber bands. We used this data to help us make all of our calculations about potential and kinetic energy. After finishing our calculations we worked on our graphs and slideshow presentation. They took us about three days. We finally completed our project after a few weeks of stress, hard work, and a lot of fun!
Once we completed our car we started testing it. We had to count the amount of times we wrapped the rubber band around the axle to make it go exactly 5 meters. It took 13 rotations. Our group also found the spring constant of our rubber bands. We used this data to help us make all of our calculations about potential and kinetic energy. After finishing our calculations we worked on our graphs and slideshow presentation. They took us about three days. We finally completed our project after a few weeks of stress, hard work, and a lot of fun!
Reflection
This project was a lot of fun because it tested not only my math skills, but also my problem solving system. It made me think outside of the box and think of multiple solutions in order to choose the best one. My favorite part was building the car. I was extremely proud that our group was able to create a car, even though prior to the project, none of us knew the fundamentals of a car.
I think that I did a good job collaborating in this project. Instead of trying to prove why my idea was right, I combined my idea with theirs to form a better one. This happened when we were trying to decide which top to put on our car. I also learned how to become a better problem solver. Near the end of the project the end of our base where the axle was split. We had no way of connecting our axle and wheels back to the car. We all bounced of different ideas until I suggested we tie washers on the ends of our base to put the axle through. I'm surprised it worked because I don't always have great ideas for solving problems. This project helped me extend my knowledge with unexpected situations.
Some things I could have done better on were not wasting time and to stop procrastinating.Our group talked a lot. We were generally on topic, but it took us a while to put our ideas in action. We discussed each idea much more thoroughly than needed instead of testing them. I take part of the blame for this because I like to know the strengths and weaknesses of things before building something and having it not work. We also all got along really well, so that didn't help the talking either. I'll improve this by being more open to trying ideas and experimenting more. I tend to procrastinate in assignments that I am given a lot of time to finish. My website update is one of them. I know I shouldn't because I end up stressing about finishing in time. I need to motivate myself more, so that I finish projects early. I can stop the procrastination by leaving lots of reminders on my planner and not saying I will do it later, because that creates a lot more stress than I would have had if I just did the website earlier.
I had a great time working on this project and hope to do something similar soon. The building and brainstorming was fun and I learned a lot about myself, physics, and my classmates. This was a very difficult, yet fun project.
I think that I did a good job collaborating in this project. Instead of trying to prove why my idea was right, I combined my idea with theirs to form a better one. This happened when we were trying to decide which top to put on our car. I also learned how to become a better problem solver. Near the end of the project the end of our base where the axle was split. We had no way of connecting our axle and wheels back to the car. We all bounced of different ideas until I suggested we tie washers on the ends of our base to put the axle through. I'm surprised it worked because I don't always have great ideas for solving problems. This project helped me extend my knowledge with unexpected situations.
Some things I could have done better on were not wasting time and to stop procrastinating.Our group talked a lot. We were generally on topic, but it took us a while to put our ideas in action. We discussed each idea much more thoroughly than needed instead of testing them. I take part of the blame for this because I like to know the strengths and weaknesses of things before building something and having it not work. We also all got along really well, so that didn't help the talking either. I'll improve this by being more open to trying ideas and experimenting more. I tend to procrastinate in assignments that I am given a lot of time to finish. My website update is one of them. I know I shouldn't because I end up stressing about finishing in time. I need to motivate myself more, so that I finish projects early. I can stop the procrastination by leaving lots of reminders on my planner and not saying I will do it later, because that creates a lot more stress than I would have had if I just did the website earlier.
I had a great time working on this project and hope to do something similar soon. The building and brainstorming was fun and I learned a lot about myself, physics, and my classmates. This was a very difficult, yet fun project.