What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?
A Rube Goldberg Machine is an elaborate contraption with several machines linked together which creates a sequence were one machine triggers the next one in order leading to accomplishing a task, such as knock over a domino. The concept of a machine like this came from American cartoonist, engineer, news reporter, and sculptor, Rube Goldberg. During his life he make cartoons that became well known for showing a device completing a task in a complex way. Crew 73 novato
The video above is my teams Rube Goldberg Machine which we worked on for about ten days. It has eleven steps and our end goal was to knock over a tree (a block of wood). Step one is a marble going down a screw. Step two is the marble knocking over a weigh connect to a swing. Step three is transferring the weights energy through a block wood knocking it over. Step four is transferring the weights energy through the pulley. Step five is the weights energy pulling out a nail holding back a car. Step six is the car knocking over a weight. Step seven is the weights energy transferring through a pulley pulling up a lever with a water jug on it. Step eight is the water from the jug goes down an incline plain spinning a water wheel. Step nine is the wheel water pulls down a weight connected to a pulley. Step ten is the weight's energy is transferred through the pulley pulling out a nail. Step eleven is when the nail its pulled out a string loaded ax (wedge) knocks over the tree.
Concepts
- Force is the push or pull on an object. It can be found by multiplying mass and acceleration together. When a marble hits a weight there is force.
- Velocity is the rate of covered distance in a direction. It can be found by dividing distance by time. When water runs downs the incline plain it has velocity.
- Acceleration is the rate of change for velocity. It can be found by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time. When the car runs down the incline plain it accelerates.
- Work is the amount of energy put into something. It can be found by multiplying force and distance together. When the weight pulls out the nail on the other side of the pulley there is work.
- Gravitational Potential Energy is energy an object has due to its position in a gravitational field. It can be found by multiplying mass, gravitational acceleration, and height. When the marble is at the top of the screw it has potential energy.
- Kinetic Energy is energy an object in motion has. It can be found by multiplying mass by velocity square and by 1/2. When a weight falls of a platform it has kinetic energy.
- Mechanical Advantage is how much easier a tool makes something. It can be found by dividing a output force by a input force. The pulley that lifts up the lever has mechanical advantage.
Reflection
In hindsight working with my group was very fun. I also think my group and I worked together pretty well. One thing my group did well was time management. Everyday we got one or two steps done. Another thing my group excelled at was cooperation. We would always help each if needed and we would be fine taking any role. Even thought we did quiet well on the project, there were a couple of things we could have done better was like staying on task and communication. Some of people in my group would often talk to other groups or fiddle with materials. Another that could have gone better was communication. Sometimes people in my group wouldn't always share their ideas or we wouldn't talk to each other very often.
Over the course of my project I improved in several areas and discovered other areas that need improvement. Something I improved in was public speaking. During our first presentation I was very nervous and I would forget some of my parts. However, as the night went on and I had more presentation I became more comfortable talking to the audience and began to know my lines by heart. Another thing I improved on was being productive. On the first few day of construction, I rarely help build the machine and I would just lying around. However, by the last few day of the project, I was making a lot of the part for our presentation and was building the last bits of our project. One thing I found I need to improve on was communication. During the project I would often not talk to my group and ask if they needed any help which decreased our productivity. Another thing I found that i need improvement on is leadership. I would often be very passive waiting some else to do something and did take control of any situational or make sure people are on task.
Over the course of my project I improved in several areas and discovered other areas that need improvement. Something I improved in was public speaking. During our first presentation I was very nervous and I would forget some of my parts. However, as the night went on and I had more presentation I became more comfortable talking to the audience and began to know my lines by heart. Another thing I improved on was being productive. On the first few day of construction, I rarely help build the machine and I would just lying around. However, by the last few day of the project, I was making a lot of the part for our presentation and was building the last bits of our project. One thing I found I need to improve on was communication. During the project I would often not talk to my group and ask if they needed any help which decreased our productivity. Another thing I found that i need improvement on is leadership. I would often be very passive waiting some else to do something and did take control of any situational or make sure people are on task.