About the Project:
We had to design and build a car that would travel a distance of 2 meters and stop closest to the bulls eye target. We used some of what we learned from our last unit "Wheels and Levers" to help with the design and testing of our cars, such as wheels, axles, and inclined planes.
What did we discover?
We spent a lot of time testing our cars and making changes so that they would stop closest to the target. We found that the type of wheels we used made the biggest difference. Wheels that had a smooth tread went longer distances because friction was reduced. We also discovered that wheel placement impacted stability. Wheels that were placed further apart on the body gave the car more balance and helped it travel in a straighter line. Most of the students used an inclined plane for propulsion. A key understanding in using this method was that increasing the height of the inclined plane increased the distance traveled by the car.
Beyond the classroom environment...
We thought about the relevance of our classroom learning; the process of testing and making modifications, and saw a connection to Formula 1 Racing. Just as we did, a design crew works to continually improve Formula racing cars by trying to make it go faster and improve its performance.
We had to design and build a car that would travel a distance of 2 meters and stop closest to the bulls eye target. We used some of what we learned from our last unit "Wheels and Levers" to help with the design and testing of our cars, such as wheels, axles, and inclined planes.
What did we discover?
We spent a lot of time testing our cars and making changes so that they would stop closest to the target. We found that the type of wheels we used made the biggest difference. Wheels that had a smooth tread went longer distances because friction was reduced. We also discovered that wheel placement impacted stability. Wheels that were placed further apart on the body gave the car more balance and helped it travel in a straighter line. Most of the students used an inclined plane for propulsion. A key understanding in using this method was that increasing the height of the inclined plane increased the distance traveled by the car.
Beyond the classroom environment...
We thought about the relevance of our classroom learning; the process of testing and making modifications, and saw a connection to Formula 1 Racing. Just as we did, a design crew works to continually improve Formula racing cars by trying to make it go faster and improve its performance.
This post was written by the students of 4/5C and edited by Mrs. Davidson.