GagiMunjiza Posted March 3, 2012 Report Posted March 3, 2012 I need to make a car powered only by gravity/a 1kg mass. The 1 kg mass must fall 1 meter and power the car. No spring, electrical, chemical, elastic etc power. ONLY GRAVITY. also the mass and everything else you use must travel with the car so no ramps. It must travel at least 3 meters. If you have any ideas please help. I am very occupied with tests and I need to finish this assignment. Thank you. Quote
belovelife Posted March 3, 2012 Report Posted March 3, 2012 easy, get a bar, mount a pegon the bar, tie a rope to the peg wrap the peg around the bar this must be strong eoungh to spin the wheels since this should be an axlethen another bar a meter up get the end of the rope and hang it over the bar then tie the weight onto the rope and let it drop this is very simple you can do other things also invloving gears but this is a sijmple version Tormod 1 Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Posted March 3, 2012 Thank you very much. Do you happen to have a diagram of any sort?? It would help. Thanks again :) Quote
Turtle Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 we have a more extensive thread on the topic; there are some diagrams there. >> Weight Powered Car keep us posted on your progress. Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Posted March 4, 2012 Thank you. I have seen this thread earlier and it inspired me to use that model. Would it be better to use a triangular base with 3 wheels or rectangular base with 4 wheels? I was thinking the triangular base since it has a pointed tip similar to a plane and it reduces air resistance. Quote
Turtle Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Thank you. I have seen this thread earlier and it inspired me to use that model. Would it be better to use a triangular base with 3 wheels or rectangular base with 4 wheels? I was thinking the triangular base since it has a pointed tip similar to a plane and it reduces air resistance. i think it would reduce air resistance a bit, yes. having 3 wheels also reduces drag from the wheels themselves both at the axle and where the "rubber meets the road", as well as reducing the overall vehicle weight. do you have any other goal/requirement other than to travel 3 meters? Edited March 4, 2012 by Turtle Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Posted March 4, 2012 Well I want it to travel more than 3 meters. We are being graded on 2 things. 1st we are graded on how far it can travel and second we have a race and are graded on who is 1st 2nd etc. Also there can be no springs, elastics, chemicals or electric power. just gravity. Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Posted March 4, 2012 Also I should mention in the race tournament we ARE allowed to use things to make other veichles crash such as spikes etc. :P Quote
Turtle Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Well I want it to travel more than 3 meters. We are being graded on 2 things. 1st we are graded on how far it can travel and second we have a race and are graded on who is 1st 2nd etc. Also there can be no springs, elastics, chemicals or electric power. just gravity. roger. my idea for a cone shaped axle in the other thread should -in theory- help you win the race. Also I should mention in the race tournament we ARE allowed to use things to make other veichles crash such as spikes etc. :P muahahahahaha. :evil: i'm not much for dirty tricks though. :angel: if the cone axle works as it should, you'll leave them eatin' your dust.:D Edited March 4, 2012 by Turtle Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Posted March 4, 2012 HEhehe I'm not much for dirty tricks as well and by looking at the thread I saw the cone axle but I don't know how I could make that :0. But I like the idea. Is it actually possible to make it fast and travel a great distance? Quote
Turtle Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 HEhehe I'm not much for dirty tricks as well and by looking at the thread I saw the cone axle but I don't know how I could make that :0. But I like the idea. Is it actually possible to make it fast and travel a great distance? good for you. :) oh yes; absolutely possible. the cone is rather like gears in a car. you could make it by gluing together carboard circles of progressively larger sizes. it would be more time consuming than a straight axle, so if time is a problem you might not want to try it. if you do try it, pleae oh please oh please come back & let us know how it went. :) Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Posted March 4, 2012 Ok and thank you. So I still need to make a straight axle but then put the cone one on the straight axle right? And if yes should I use a metal or wooden straight axle? Quote
Turtle Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 (edited) Ok and thank you. So I still need to make a straight axle but then put the cone one on the straight axle right? And if yes should I use a metal or wooden straight axle? you're welcome. yep; cone on straight axle. saying it that way you made me think "interchangeable option". that's the ticket. then you can test it both ways before the big day. i think even a straight axle shouldn't be too skinny and metal being heavier than wood i'd go for wood. pencils come to mind for cheap & handy; maybe a fat one like the kindergarteners use. Edited March 4, 2012 by Turtle Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Posted March 4, 2012 Ok thank you :lol: we will keep in touch :D and I will let you know how things go Quote
Turtle Posted March 4, 2012 Report Posted March 4, 2012 Ok thank you :lol: we will keep in touch :D and I will let you know how things go roger. good luck!! :) Quote
GagiMunjiza Posted March 5, 2012 Author Report Posted March 5, 2012 Ok so I am struggling to wrap the fishing wire around the wheels and for some reason the axle doesn't spin according to the wheels so 1 wheel appears to spin faster. :( Also I had to use 4 wheels since I did not know how to make 1 wheel by itself. I have tried just spinning the axle but it doesn't help wrap the fishing wire around it. :omg: I am also trying to use the cone axle idea but I don't know how to use it with such little space. Please help and make some more suggestions to improve it. Thanks :) I have a video and pics too of what I have so far. http://youtu.be/LAeHNkdktBkhttp://s1171.photobucket.com/albums/r557/master7able/?action=view¤t=002.jpg Quote
Turtle Posted March 5, 2012 Report Posted March 5, 2012 looks like you need to tape the fishing line in place on the axle to stop the slipping. if you have hot-melt glue, a dot of that might work too. something similar where the wheel fits on the axle. i mean some tape or glue to lock the wheel, bearings, and axle together. i agree there's probably not enough room there for the cone. if you understand how it would have worked then you have learned something about mechanics and that is the whole point after all. let me/us know how the fixes go. :) Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.