Project Simple Machines

Name:____Pd:_ Date:______

Project – Simple Machines

Rube Goldberg Devices

Rube Goldberg was a UC Berkeley graduate who combined his know how in science and artistic ability to create a wacky comic strip in which elaborate sequences of machines were linked to perform simple tasks.

Flame from lamp (A) catches on curtain (B) and fire department sends stream of water (C) through window. Dwarf (D) thinks it is raining and reaches for umbrella (E), pulling string (F) and lifting end of platform (G). Iron ball (H) falls and pulls string (I), causing hammer (J) to hit plate of glass (K). Crash of glass wakes up pup (L) and mother dog (M) rocks him to sleep in cradle (N), causing attached wooden hand (O) to move up and down along your back.
Rube Goldberg TM & © of Rube Goldberg, Inc.

ASSIGNMENT
Design a machine like the one above using a combination of simple machines to accomplishes a simple task.

REQUIREMENTS:

o (10pts) machine must perform some task, any task within reason (consult

teacher for final approval)

o (10 pts) must have at least 10 steps. 15 or more will earn bonus points.

o (10 pts) ALL steps must be explained (see examples)

o (6 pts) must include AT LEAST 3 simple machines (you might use one

type more than once! If you use all 6, five bonus points are earned.

o (4 pts) must be able to complete the task more than once

o NO ELECTRICAL DEVICES ALLOWED

40 pts total

More examples on the following pages………

As Tailor (A) fits customer (B) and calls out measurements, college boy (C) mistakes them for football signals and makes a flying tackle at clothing dummy (D). Dummy bumps head against paddle (E) causing it to pull hook (F) and throw bottle (G) on end of folding hat rack (H) which spreads and pushes head of cabbage (I) into net (J). Weight of cabbage pulls cord (K) causing shears (L) to cut string (M). Bag of sand (N) drops on scale (O) and pushes broom (P) against pail of whitewash (Q) which upsets all over you causing you to look like a marble statue and making it impossible for you to be recognized by bill collectors.

Simplified pencil-sharpener: Open window (A) and fly kite (B). String (C) lifts small door (D) allowing moths (E) to escape and eat red flannel shirt (F). As weight of shirt becomes less, shoe (G) steps on switch (H) which heats electric iron (I) and burns hole in pants (J). Smoke (K) enters hole in tree (L), smoking out opossum (M) which jumps into basket (N), pulling rope (O) and lifting cage (P), allowing woodpecker (Q) to chew wood from pencil (R), exposing lead. Emergency knife (S) is always handy in case opossum or the woodpecker gets sick and can't work.

Rube Goldberg stands in front of an x-ray and sees an idea inside his head showing how to keep shop windows clean.

Passing man (A) slips on banana peel (B) causing him to fall on rake (C). As handle of rake rises it throws horseshoe (D) onto rope (E) which sags, thereby tilting sprinkling can (F). Water (G) saturates mop (H). Pickle terrier (I) thinks it is raining, gets up to run into house and upsets sign (J) throwing it against non-tipping cigar ash receiver (K) which causes it to swing back and forth and swish the mop against window pane, wiping it clean. If man breaks his neck by fall move away before cop arrives.

When you slip on ice, your foot kicks paddle (A), lowering finger (B), snapping turtle (C) extends neck to bite finger, opening ice tongs (D) and dropping pillow (E), thus allowing you to fall on something soft.

Project Simple Machines

Name:______Pd:___ Date:______

Project – Simple Machines

Name:____Pd:_ Date:______