Yet Another Science Project

[Dan]

Well, Thanks to everyone's input, my cardboard bridge worked...barly

At first I used double corregated cardboard, and I wasn't allowed to use that (I didn't know..) so I had to rebuilt it in a weekend...but it worked! I got a 43/40

For my next project...

The "Incline" Project

Option 1

• You are building an incline(ramp) out of any materials that you desire
  
• Max Size: 18" x 18"
  
• Using a wheeled vehicle on the ramp, you have to calculate at which points, how far the vehicle will go
  
• You need to calculate how far it'll go from 1 - 10 ft.
  
• We need testing results from 1,3,5,7 ft
  
• Basic trig will be needed (and taught)
  

Option 2

• Building a Catapult
  
• Same as the option 1
  
• "Angles"
  

Any ideas?

Danny

[handplane]

Here a site to check out:

http://www.delphiforfun.org/Programs/catapult.htm

[JDoors]

"A wheeled vehicle?" Supplied by the teacher? If so, do you know anything about the vehicle?

"An inclined ramp?" Any angle you choose?

[Dan]

You can provide your own wheeled vehicle...

Any angle, but it can't be over 18" by 18"

[JDoors]

I don't see then how the incline or choice of vehicle has much of a bearing on the project: It's ALL about the math.

You're on your own there buddy!

Personally, and this is just off the top of my head, I'd have a low angle and lighter vehicle so you'll be dealing with less acceleration ('cause I'm guessin' that'll make the calculations easier). Experiment with angles and any vehicle you like so they do at least meet the minimum requirements for distance.

[jcl]

Personally, and this is just off the top of my head, I'd have a low angle and lighter vehicle so you'll be dealing with less acceleration ('cause I'm guessin' that'll make the calculations easier).

Agreed. The physics is more complicated at the steeper angles. The shape of the truck, the truck's suspension, etc become increasingly important as the angle between the ramp and ground approaches 90 degrees. OTOH if the angle is very close to 90 degrees the math becomes a lot easier: the truck will whack the surface, stop, and maybe fall over without going anywhere

Edited January 29, 2006 by jcl

[JDoors]

... OTOH if the angle is very close to 90 degrees the math becomes a lot easier: the truck will whack the surface, stop, and maybe fall over without going anywhere

THAT'S what you should do! The math would be relatively easy if you had a one foot long vertical ramp -- just gravity, a known quantity, no friction, no rolling resistance, simple gravitational acceleration, EASY! And the math for the 3, 5, and 7 foot intervals would be super-dooper easy -- "0."

Wait, can you claim a vertical surface fits the description for an "incline?" Probably not. Nevermind.