Rube Goldberg Device
(How-to hit the snooze button)
-making things complicated since
1883!
Introduction
• Alex Kim aka “Ling Ling”
• Wesley King aka “Arnold”
• Chuck Layton aka “Moonshine”
Device Design
• Step 1- Ball rolls down a series of slides
• Step 2- Hits dominos, which causes a domino effect.
• Step 3- Pulls off a lead weight with the fall of
multiple dominos.
• Step 4- Weight causes scissor to cut a string.
• Step 5- The cut string drops another weight onto a
lever.
• Step 6- Snooze is turned on!
Conservation
Of Energy
• The ball has stored potential energy. When the ball begins to
roll it is turned into angular and linear momentum, which
through, COM is transferred to the dominos. The dominos PE
is turned into KE as they fall due to gravity. The center of
mass is changed during the impact, which causes the dominos
to fall. The dominos fall off of a ledge which pull a weight due
to gravity. The weight causes the scissors to cut the string,
which releases the tension of the string (PE) holding the
weight turning into KE of the weight. The weight landing on
the lever changes center of mass, which causes the lever to
press the button.
Construction Issues
• Getting the ball to hit the proper part of the
domino.
• Getting the weight to fall off the platform.
• Getting the ball to roll down the tube
properly.
• Getting the weight to land on the lever
properly.
Conclusion
• After countless hours of design and re-design
and construction and re-constructing…we say,
it would be much easier just to press the
button yourself.
– The End