January 5, 2011
http://netapps.marshall.edu/lego/lessonplans/RubberBandCar.html
Here is the New Year's Ball at Marshall University
I had brought it to the 4th grade to see it in person.
For the rest of January it will be at http://SENSORSCITY.marshall.edu
to operate from over the web.
Mrs. Webb has printed out a version of the rubber band project.
Strain Energy -
"The potential energy stored in a body by virtue of an elastic deformation,
equal to the work that must be done to produce this deformation.
The external work done on an elastic member in causing it to distort
from its unstressed state
is transformed into strain energy which is a form of potential energy.
The strain energy in the form of elastic deformation is mostly recoverable
in the form of mechanical work."
Use the energy stored as strain energy in a rubber band.
Inertia is going to be a help with this project.
http://netapps.marshall.edu/lego/lessonplans/RubberBandCar.html
After some building and changing they were able to get a car to go
the full width of the room.
The recorded lengths generally increased showing that they were making
improvements.
With longer cars the rubber bands were stretched farther.
The band needed to come free of the car with out catching in the wheels.
