Rube Golberg Machine Essay

Reaction Purpose: The purpose of this reaction is to pop a balloon using the six simple machines combiend together to form on Rube Golberg machine. Using various forces and types of energies, the purpose is fullfilled at the end of the reaction chain.

Energy Explanations:

Chain Reaction #1: Inclined plane

An inclined plane is a flat surface that is slanted to help move objects across distances. Usually an inclined plane is used for the purpose of requiring to exert less force to move an object to a higher elevation, however, in this Rube Goldberg machine, the inclined plane is used to build up speed of an object as it accelerates when it rolls down the plane. The first reaction in the series of this machine occurs when the marble rolls down

In terms of energy conversions, a screw converts rotational motion to linear motion, as well as, rotational force to linear force. An ideal screw has no friction meaning the applied force (input force) is equal to the work done by the screw on the load force. This gives the screw simple machine a mechanical advantage. The amount of energy that is lost to friction depends on the distance of the screw’s threads. A larger distance between its threads means a smaller mechanical advantage. This also means that the screw is able to exert a smaller force as the applied force. Most screws, unfortunately, have a low mecahnical advantage due to large amounts of friction resulting from their design. When a screw is rotated, there is a force applied perpendicular to the groove, and this is what transforms the rotational force into a linear one. In this Rube Goldberg machine, after the marble rolls down the inclined plane, it rolls onto a screw-shaped slide. In this machine, the screw is not used for its usual purpose of fastening objects together, but instead, it provides a transporation route for the marble. Due to the inclined plane (thread) wrapped around the bottle (shank), it allows the marble to gradually descend onto the table. As the marble rolls off of the screw slide, it transfers its momentum onto the first domino, knocking it over. This initiates a chain reaction, as the falling dominoes knock into one

A wedge is made up of two inclines planes (on both sides) that exert a force along the lengths of the sides. The force exerted is perpendicular to the inclined surface which means that the force pushes one of two objects apart. The most common uses of wedges are to cut (knife), to split (axe), to tighten or to hold back (doorstopper), and to hold together (nail). In this Rube Goldberg machine, however, the wedge is holding apart the two books underneath the lever. It is also the fulcrum of the lever and allows for the lever to be moved downwards at a slanted angle as the pulley system pulls the input side upwards. If it were not for the wedge, the lever would not form an inclined plane at the correct angle. The purpose of a wedge is to convert the force applied to its blunt end into forces that are perpendicular (normal forces) to its inclined