The Need for Speed: Study of Force and Motion

Friday, March 14, 2008

Our Race Cars: Recycled Racers

Friday, March 7, 2008

You will work to construct a model racer from your soda bottle, cardboard, and other items. Later you will test your racer by racing it down an inclined ramp. Let's get started. Remember... we are learning about motion. What can we learn from our racers?

1) What are some things that might affect a real race? What things help the race car drivers?

2) Construct your Recycled Racer.

Cut a corrugated cardboard base about the same length and width as a 20-ounce soda bottle. The base can either be rectangular or the same shape as the bottle.
Use hot glue to attach the base to the bottle. Be careful when using the HOT glue gun. (For best results put glue on the cardboard and then attach other materials, such as the bottle or straw.)
Use small drinking straws as axle holders. Cut two pieces of straw about 2" long. Glue one piece to the front, and one to the rear, of the base.
Use wheels from discarded toys or make the wheels from plastic bottle tops.
Cut 1/8" dowels to desired length for axles. The dowels should be as long as the width of the base.
Attach one wheel to the dowel, place it through the rear axle holder (straw), and then attach the other wheel. Repeat for the two front wheels.

NASCAR Scavenger Hunt

Learn about the exciting sport of NASCAR! Check out this online scavenger hunt.

http://www.iss.k12.nc.us/schools/lakenorman/nascar.htm

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

How does Friction affect Motion?

Start your engines! It is time to put to use the things you've learned about force and friction. Use pages 450-451 to help do an experiment. You will be watching to see what happens to objects as you change the angle of a ramp.