Windmill Must Be Able to Rotate Freely on an Axis

Windmills are machines that convert energy from the wind into useful work by rotating the blades. Windmills can also be used to lift objects up and down especially water from within the ground, to power machines that crush grain and process food. Today, this rotation powers a generator and this mechanical energy (movement) is converted to electricity.

Windmills are good examples of wheel and axle machines. The wheel is able to rotate freely on an axis, harnessing the winds energy to move it by having sails or shapes that can catch the wind.

Problem: To design and construct a windmill/waterwheel that can lift an object while only using the materials listed.

Requirements:

·  Windmill must be able to rotate freely on an axis

·  Must be able to pull an object off of the table

·  Must not be supported by yourself

·  Must have 4 blades made from some sort of paper

Suggested Materials:

·  Bristol board

·  Printer paper

·  Plastic Straws

·  Wooden skewers

·  Hole punch

·  String

·  Tape

·  Glue

·  Scissors

·  Empty thread spool

·  Empty plastic bottle

·  Pencil

·  Paper clip

Your task:

·  You will have a very limited time to build the windmill from the list of suggested materials.

·  You will have to show and demonstrate that your windmill design can lift an object – at least a paperclip, but you will receive bonus points for lifting a heavier object.

·  Your windmill can only have 4 blades

·  You need to provide a picture of the final windmill design with measurements. This needs to be neat. Put you and your partners name on it. I will provide graph paper

·  In addition to your windmill design you must answer the follow up questions on a piece of looseleaf:

o  What about your windmill design worked well?

o  What about your windmill design did not work?

o  What could you do to make your design function better?

o  How could you design your windmill so that it could lift heavier objects than a paperclip?

·  Each partner must also complete a peer evaluation.

Your mark will be based on the peer evaluation, drawing accuracy and neatness, form and function of the windmill and completeness of follow up questions.