physics wheeled and levitating vehicles stem box challenge launch, 22.10.13 dr stephen gibson,...
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PhysicsWheeled and levitating vehicles
STEM Box Challenge Launch, 22.10.13
Dr Stephen Gibson, Lecturer in Physics
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Physics challenge overview: Phase one, Wheeled Vehicles
- Farthest distance travelled.
- Fastest vehicle over a set distance.
- Fattest (heaviest) load pulled over a set distance.
Challenge your students:
» Using only the items in the box and your ingenuity, design a self-powered, wheeled vehicle that is powered by an elastic band or a balloon.
» Experimentally test which power source to choose and optimise the vehicle differently to compete in three challenges:
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Physics challenge overview: Phase one, Wheeled Vehicles
• Mechanical piece for vehicle construction: 4 wheels, chassis pieces,/ straws. axles, bearings.
• Power sources; elastic bands of different strengths / sizes, including spares; balloons + straws.
• Small weights for testing elastic band extension.
• Document showing outline of vehicle construction
• Worksheet with ideas for experiment test and vehicle optimisation
What’s in the box?
» Box include the essentials to construct your vehicles:
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Physics challenge overview: Phase one, Wheeled Vehicles
Some vehicle ideas:
» The design is up to your students, but must use one of the power sources provided.
» The challenge is how to optimize the design for the three different tasks:
» Think about vehicle mass, acceleration, stored energy, speed of release…
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Physics challenge overview: Phase II, compete at RHUL + levitation!
» On completing the challenges at your school, enter your vehicle in a summer competition at Royal Holloway, University of London.
» In the final challenge, make your vehicles levitate with a little help from our liquid nitrogen cooled superconductors and watch it take off and soar along a magnetic track.
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Curriculum links
stored (potential) energy in the elastic band or balloon and conversion of energy to other forms (kinetic + heat).
kinematics: time, distance, speed and acceleration.
forces, motion and reducing friction.
» Students learning outcomes are linked to the most recent Key Stage 3 curriculum:
» Aim to bring the concepts to life through the practical demonstrations!
» No knowledge of superconductors is needed…
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Added value:
» Royal Holloway will support your school with two contact/interface sessions: Interface 1: Initial skype meeting with teacher / pupils regarding the wheeled vehicle challenges in the competition.
Explain challenge and give pointers on optimising the models for the three challenges.
Interface 2: School visit to include demonstration with liquid nitrogen, to test static levitation with a short test track.
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Added value:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJV5PSpYPL0#t=183
» Superconducting / low temperature technology support through Royal Holloway Physics Department:
Superconductors manufactured via the crystal growth facility in the RHUL Physics.
Diamagnetic (pyrolytic graphite) can be used for static levitation demonstration.
We’ll also provide a magnetically levitating racetrack for the competition at RHUL.
A glimpse of what’s possible:
Questions?
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