Rube Goldberg Machine

Rube Goldberg Machine: Pour O’matic

1. step one is a funnel in which a ball is dropped through, this demonstrates gravitational potential energy when the ball is held prior to being dropped. This is also a demonstration of a potential to kinetic transformation

in between is an energy transfer from the funnel to the inclined plane

2.  step two is a series of two inclined placed in opposite directions (these inclined planes are simple machines), in which the ball from the funnel is dropped into and rolled through, in between the two is an energy transfer, and at this point the energy is still kinetic

in between here is another energy transfer from the inclined plane to the shoot

3. step three is a long shoot which leads the ball from the second inclined plane to step 4, at this point the energy is still kinetic

in between is an energy transfer from the shoot to another inclined plane

4. step for is when the ball from comes out the end of the shoot and hits a car parked on top of an inclined plane and rolls to the bottom, which is still kinetic energy.

in between is an energy transfer from the car on the inclined plane to the dominos

5. step five is where said car bumps into a domino (demonstrated as a movie disk) and sets off a chain reaction onto 3 more dominos. This is an example of sound energy and a transformation from kinetic to sound, as you can hear the dominos falling

in between is an energy transfer from final domino to the lever, it is also a transformation from kinetic to potential

6. step six is where the final domino pulls on one side of a lever (simple machine) tipping it and causing a ball to roll down, which one again is now kinetic energy. This lever is also an example of a simple machine as well as a demonstration of mechanical energy as its going from potential to kinetic and has the potential to do work

in between is an energy transfer from the lever to the funnel

7. step seven is when said ball goes off the end of the lever and into another funnel, which is still kinetic energy

in between is an energy transfer from the funnel to the inclined plane

8. step eight is another inclined plane (simple machine) which brings the ball from the funnel into step nine

in between is an energy transfer from the inclined plane to the pulley

9. step nine is a pulley (simple machine), the ball goes off the inclined plane and into the first cup, which lifts and tips the second cup causing it to dump vinegar onto baking soda, this is also a transformation from kinetic to chemical energy

Although in this example vinegar is being dumped out you could swap it out for many other things!

 

Energy transformation and types:

transformations:

• potential to kinetic (when the ball is dropped at the beginning)
• kinetic to sound (when the moving car knocks over the dominos)
• kinetic to chemical (when the rolling ball activates the pulley which sets off a chemical reaction

Energy types:

• gravitational potential
• kinetic
• chemical
• mechanical
• sound

Energy transfers: 3+ between each step

Simple machines:

• inclined plane
• lever
• pulley