Show:
Black Boxes
Simple Machines
Vocabulary
Go-Cart Anatomy
Go-Cart Mechanics
100
What is a black box?
A system that cannot be directly understood.
100
What was the purpose of the cell holder in the hum-dinger experiment?
To hold the battery.
100
What is a model?
A model explains how a system works.
100
What is the part of the go-cart that helps it roll along?
The wheels.
100
If your free rolling go-carts were blown up in size, what could be some practical uses of them?
To push / pull objects, move objects with little effort.
200
Give me one example of a black box.
Examples: TV, phone, speaker, etc.
200
If given a motor and a battery, how can you get the motor running?
Take one wire from the motor, place it on one side of the battery. Take the other wire from the motor and place it on the other side of the battery.
200
What does it mean if multiple people "collaborate?"
People work together; brainstorm and talk together.
200
What is the hub and what purpose does it serve?
The inside part of the wheel and it fastens securely to the axle.
200
How did some groups improve the traction of their go-carts?
They added rubber-bands to the tires to grip the floor better.
300
Give me one example of a black box that is NOT mechanical.
The universe, human anatomy, etc.
300
Give me one example of a "switch" besides a light switch and the switches you used in your hum-dingers.
A power button on a computer, a power button on a TV, a car key going into the ignition, etc.
300
If two mechanical parts are sliding past each other and creating a lot of heat, what do we call the word that describes this relationship?
Friction!
300
What purpose does the body / frame serve?
Holds the axles together, as well as other important parts.
300
What can happen if my hubs are not attached securely to the axle?
The wheels could go flying off as the go-cart starts moving.
400
Can a tree be considered a black box? Why or why not?
Yes; trees have a special system that helps sustain their life and promote their growth. Sometimes we cannot directly see how this system works, but we know it is there because of research.
400
Students in Mr. Harnack's science class had a fun time bending paper clips and connecting both ends of the paper clips to ends of the battery. When Mr. Harnack would go to clean up materials, he burned himself trying to take the paper clip off. Why did this happen?
The student had created a complete circuit using the two ends of the paper clip. The current had been passing through the paper clip for a long enough time to begin to heat up, therefore Mr. Harnack burned himself.
400
What is the difference between a physical model and a conceptual model?
Physical = 3-d, you can touch it. Conceptual = In your head or on paper
400
What do the bearings do? What would happen if your bearings were too tight? (Answer both parts)
Bearings hold the axle securely and allow it to rotate freely. If the axle was too tight, then the vehicle would not roll effectively.
400
What improvements did you make to your free-rolling go-cart to make it travel farther? Explain.
Added larger wheels which increase the distance the cart can travel. Also, you could add extra rubber band to wind up the cart more to give it extra momentum.
500
People before the 20th century would frequently get sick (many would die). What would a black box be in this era, and explain.
Different viruses / sicknesses, the human body, etc.
500
What is the tool called that helps people extract a large amount of water from a tank, using gravity and air pressure?
A siphon.
500
Mr. Harnack is walking into school on an icy morning. He watches many teachers struggle to walk into the building as they are slipping and sliding around. Mr. Harnack, however, is wearing is big ol' boots and is having no trouble walking on the ice. What is the word that describes the grip his boots have on the ice? Explain why Mr. Harnack isn't having trouble, but everyone else is.
Mr. Harnack's boots have more traction than everyone else's shoes. His boots have lots of grooves to grip the ice as he walks.
500
Knowing the benefits of larger wheels, why don't most cars have large wheels?
Possibly less aerodynamic, not practical when compared to the body of the car, more air would flow under the car possibly lifting the car and causing major problems, etc.
500
After a group wound up their cart and let it drive, they noticed when it finally stopped, it rolled backwards slightly. Why did this happen?
After the rubber-band unraveled, it still had momentum therefore it would the rubber band the opposite way, causing it to go slightly backwards.