PREP PHYSICS
THE RUBE GOLDBERG CHALLENGE
2014 – 2015
This year at BELS saw the largest group of Prep-students
yet, and with that came the proportionally increased
level of excitement for the completion of some really
great Physics Projects.
The Rube Goldberg Machine challenge required some
creative simple machines to be combined in an attempt
to burst a balloon by using as many of these machines
as possible, and in the
longest possible time.
The target time was
set as 2 minutes, and
there were actually
a few students who
were able to reach
this time!
The Rube Goldberg
Machine challenge is
a practical approach
to introduce and
enhance hands-on
skills in a fun-filled
way, while also
allowing learning through investigation and trial-anderror.
Different materials and practical tools are used
during the construction of the projects, and for many
students, this is the first “big project” that includes
a problem-solving approach which requires creative
thinking, an experimental design process, a practical
construction process, a written report, and a verbal
presentation.
Creativity and variety of designs were some of the
remarkable aspects of this year’s challenge, as was
the use of different mechanisms and processes that
were never used at BELS before. Besides the dominoes
(simple lever) and inclined planes we also had candles
burning through a rope like an ancient time delay
mechanism, and water falling into a series of containers,
which in turn activated different release mechanisms.
Spirals and double-sided boards with multi-level and
through-panel push-rods amazed all the observers and
judges alike.
PHYSICS
DEPARTMENT
Careful and precision measurement for accurate
timing
A suspended hammer in a lever-action using a burning
candle to trigger the machanism after burning through
a rope
THE CLAPPER 2014 - 2015
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