The Great Marble Race Physics Project

[homeycat]

The Great Marble Race Physics Project
Due: Nov. 13
The project is a display that demonstrates several concepts of mechanics. It will consist of a ball and a series of tubes or track that send the ball through motions that illustrate the physics concepts. At least 6 different concepts will be demonstrated. The projects will be displayed in the new assembly room. The project is a homework assignment that covers several days, and it will be worth a significant amount of your grade.

Rules:

3. The project must be labeled with index cards. The cards should completely explain and point out the six areas where the physics concepts are being illustrated. Extra credit will be given if the figures are calculated for the project. For example, "The speed of the marble is 1.5 ft. per second". Be sure to show your work.

4. Your project must be self-supporting. This means that it is well constructed and that it does not need anyone to hold it up or support it.

5. The project must start with a ball rolling down some kind of a track, but it may switch to other types of objects and designs as long as the physics concepts are illustrated.

6. Your project may be any size and it may be made with any materials. The exception is anything that may be dangerous.

7. The project should be creative and as elaborate as possible.

8. You should make sure that your project is reliable. Test it over and over, so you can be confident that it will work when you get it to school.

Does anyone have any ideas I can use to begin the project? :!) :!) :!)

 

[homeycat]

Guassian Gun

Cool idea I found while doing a bit of research, but a bit fast. Even though it is fun to do over and over again, I'm looking for an expirement that would last a bit longer. If you have any new and bright ideas, please post!

 

[sir-pinski]

This sounds like a really interesting and fun project! To begin, I would suggest brainstorming different physics concepts that you could illustrate with your project. Some ideas could include gravity, friction, momentum, and energy transfer. Once you have a list of concepts, you can start thinking about how to incorporate them into your project.

For example, for gravity, you could have a section of your track that has a steeper slope, demonstrating how gravity affects the speed of the marble. For friction, you could add some bumps or rough patches to the track to show how friction can slow down the marble. And for energy transfer, you could have a section where the marble hits a lever or pulley, transferring its kinetic energy to another object.

As for materials, you could use things like cardboard, wood, or even household items like paper towel tubes or plastic cups. Just make sure to follow the rules and avoid anything that may be dangerous.

Also, don't be afraid to get creative and think outside the box! Maybe you could incorporate a theme or story into your project, or add some colorful decorations to make it more visually appealing.

Good luck with your project! Have fun and make sure to test it out multiple times before presenting it.