Launchbox
Instruction booklet
Foreword
In 2007 the Science Museum’s popular Launchpad gallery was
relaunched. This hands‑on, brains-on gallery is divided according to six
key curriculum themes: Light, Sound, Electricity and Magnetism, Energy
Transfer, Forces and Motion and Materials. It features more than 50
interactive exhibits designed to encourage open-ended exploration and
inquiry by children and adults alike.
One such exhibit shows On the Move, a short film made exclusively
for the Launchpad gallery. The film, which illustrates energy transfer,
features a contraption created by engineers and artists using hundreds
of items, from a bow and arrow to a toy poodle.
This Launchbox allows your students to get hands-on and create
their own chain-reaction contraption while investigating the six key
curriculum themes of the Launchpad gallery.
A copy of On the Move can be found on the DVD. It should provide the
perfect starting point for your group’s investigation.
Have fun with your Launchbox!
Science Museum, London
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Contents
Aim of the activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What else will I need? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Health and safety for your risk assessments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
How to run the activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
An introductory session to get you started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Launchpods in more detail
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Energy Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Forces and Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Electricity and Magnetism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Curriculum links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Links to other contraptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
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Aim of the activity
The Launchbox challenge is to build a chain-reaction contraption, similar to the one in
the film On the Move. In addition to illustrating energy transfer, this activity will allow
students to explore various curriculum themes while developing their scientific thinking
and team- working skills.
Materials
The Launchbox has been divided into seven sections. The upper six are topic sections
reflecting the areas of the Launchpad gallery:
•• Light
•• Sound
•• Energy Transfer
•• Forces and Motion
•• Electricity and Magnetism
•• Materials
Each of these topic sections contains the materials you will need to make a particular
‘Launchpod’, a mechanism which relates to that topic and can form part of your final
contraption. Step-by-step instructions on how to make these Launchpods can be found on
the DVD, as well as in the PowerPoint presentation. The six Launchpods will provide your
students with an ideal introduction to the Launchbox activity and the types of materials they
will be using.
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The seventh and largest compartment of the Launchbox contains general construction
equipment which can be used in conjunction with any of the topic sections to build your
contraption. These materials will help you expand on the Launchpods you already have and
incorporate them into a chain reaction. Please note that in this section of the Launchbox you
will find lengths of easy-bend wire. You should put aside six of these as they will be needed
to complete the Launchpods.
The range of materials found within the Launchbox is extensive. The What’s What list on
the DVD explains what each piece of equipment is and how it can be used. You should read
through this before beginning the activity.
What else will I need?
You will need the following equipment in order to make some of the Launchpods:
•• Portable music player that takes a standard-sized headphone jack (the smaller this
music player is the better, as you may wish to place it on a motorised vehicle)
•• Small screwdriver for tightening the screws on the amplifier board used in the
Sound Launchpod
•• Selection of liquids of varying viscosities, such as tomato ketchup, golden syrup, cooking
oil, PVA glue, custard
•• Sharp scissors and a craft knife (several pairs of scissors to share amongst the class
will be sufficient)
•• Wire-strippers, pliers and permanent marker pen
•• Ruler
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In addition to these items, the following optional equipment may be useful
during your Launchbox sessions:
•• Selection of materials of varying opacity, such as acetate, tissue paper, thick card
•• Camera to record your students’ work
•• String
•• Paper and pencils for each student
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Health and safety for your risk
assessment
We believe you know the individual needs of your group and your working environment, so
we strongly suggest you carry out your own risk assessment before running this activity.
However, we would draw your attention to the following points:
•• Wheels – Care should be taken when pushing wheels onto axles. Under no
circumstances should a wheel be pushed down onto an axle using the palm
of the hand.
•• Batteries – Batteries can cause very mild electric shocks if handled incorrectly, e.g. if
touched against the tongue. Batteries can cause damage to the environment and must
be disposed of appropriately.
•• ‘O’ rings and balloons – The ‘O’-ring tyres are made of rubber, which can cause allergic
reactions in some individuals. People with such allergies should avoid contact with the
‘O’ rings as well as the rubber party balloons.
•• High-brightness LED – This extra-bright LED has a blade cathode which is designed to
HO
T!
act as a heat sink to dissipate heat at high current levels. So it can become extremely
hot and the LED should not be touched at the end of the cathode that carries the blade
(just below the bulb).
•• Rare-earth magnets – All magnets are extremely dangerous if swallowed and can
cause serious damage to internal organs. These magnets are especially powerful and
under no circumstances should they be placed in or near the mouth.
•• Projectiles – We cannot anticipate what students will build with the equipment
given, but in our extensive trials across the UK we have seen potentially hazardous
mechanisms such as catapults being built. Care should be taken when creating moving
parts or projectiles.
Students should be supervised at all times during the activity.
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How to run the activity
The Launchbox activity will work best when run over a number of sessions, but how you
structure these sessions and which topics you focus on is up to you. We would stress that
there is no right or wrong way to construct your chain-reaction contraption, and although
we have provided step-by-step guides to building the six Launchpods these are only
suggestions to get you started. The aim of the activity is for your students to come up with
their own ideas, test them and modify them as needed.
The following are suggestions on how to run the activity, though what works best for you
will depend on the ability and size of your class:
•• You could approach each of the six topics separately, spending one session on each,
before bringing them all together to make your contraption. Don’t forget, in addition to
the Launchpod that we have included under each topic heading, you can also use the
general construction equipment from the main section of the Launchbox to make any
number of mechanisms or structures.
•• You can overlook the six topics and concentrate on the design and engineering aspects of
the activity. Remember, you don’t have to make any of the six Launchpods; they are just
ideas to get you started.
•• The activity lends itself well to group work. Try splitting your class into small groups
and giving each group a specific task, with all groups having to bring their work together
at the end to form a single contraption. This will test the students’ negotiating skills as
groups have to agree how their sections will join together.
Top tip!
The best contraptions will have a purpose. Decide on an end result or task
that yours will perform – some of the Launchpods we have included under
the six topic headings produce good end results for the chain reaction.
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An introduction session
to get you started
Before you begin building your Launchbox contraption or exploring any of the subject areas
in detail, you may wish to run this introductory session which will allow your students to
familiarise themselves with the materials they will be using and explore the theme of a
moving contraption.
You will need:
•• The six Launchpods under each topic heading in the Launchbox
•• Print-outs of the step-by-step instructions for each of the Launchpods; these can be
found on the DVD and are also in the PowerPoint presentation
•• The On the Move film, which is on the DVD
•• Paper, pencils, scissors or craft knife
•• Digital camera to photograph students’ work, providing a reference for future
sessions (optional)
Before you start
Divide the general construction materials found in the main section of the Launchbox into six
sets. These will not be identical, but each set should include some Corriflute, Corrijoiners,
dominoes, easy-bend wire and a ball bearing, as well as a selection of other items (see the
What’s What guide on the DVD).
Top tip!
Each group will have certain pieces of equipment that
move easily, such as dominoes or balls. These make
great starting points for a contraption.
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How to run this warm-up activity
Start by showing your class the film On the Move. This in itself will provide you with plenty of
discussion points on the topics of energy transfer, forces and chain reactions. It should also
provide inspiration for students’ own contraptions.
Split your class into six groups and give each group one of the sets of general construction
equipment you divided up before the session. In addition to this, give each group one of the
Launchpods from within the topic sections of the Launchbox, i.e. Light, Sound, Materials,
Energy Transfer, Forces and Motion or Electricity and Magnetism. The students will also
need the step-by-step instructions that accompany their Launchpod.
Working in their groups, students must first follow the instructions to build their Launchpod
mechanism. They should then use the remaining equipment to try and incorporate it into a
chain-reaction contraption.
Ten minutes before packing-up time, groups should stop what they are doing and spend the
remainder of the session watching each other’s contraptions in action. If time allows, discuss
the best mechanisms or designs students have come up with and make a note of them for
future sessions. This is just a practice session, so you’ll probably want to dismantle these
contraptions afterwards. But make sure you take photos first.
Where to go from here
Now students are familiar with the materials and the concept of the chain‑reaction
contraption, the challenge is to work together as a class to build one big contraption. You
may choose to spend a session drawing plans for your contraption, though often students
have their best ideas once construction begins!
Top tip!
Suggest students try adding height to their contraptions. That way
they can use gravity to help them get things moving quickly. The
easiest way to do this is to make a tower using Corriflute.
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Launchpods in
more detail
Within the Launchbox there are six smaller compartments that each contain a
Launchpod relating to a different topic, reflecting the key themes of the Science
Museum’s Launchpad gallery. In addition to the items within these small
compartments you will also find many pieces of equipment in the main compartment of
the Launchbox that are also clearly linked to these topics.
In each case, the step-by-step instructions on how to make the Launchpod can be
found on the DVD and in the PowerPoint presentation.
Please note, the Materials and Forces and Motion Launchpods require several lengths
of easy-bend wire, which can be found in the main construction compartment of the
Launchbox. You will need to put six lengths of wire aside for use in these Launchpods.
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Energy Transfer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Forces and Motion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Electricity and Magnetism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
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Light
The Light section contains the
equipment you will need to make a
shadow trap, a simple device that
captures the image of a shadow
on a glow-in-the-dark surface.
It includes a microswitch
that will turn the light on
when it is released. This
Launchpod could be
used as an end result
for your contraption.
The science behind the shadow trap
Light travels in straight lines. When an object is placed in front of a light source
it will create a shadow on the surface behind it, as the light is unable to bend around
the object and reach that area. The closer the object is to the light source, the larger
and more blurred the shadow will be.
A small single source of light will give a sharp shadow. A larger light source, such as
a light bulb that emits light from several points, will give a more blurred shadow.
In this shadow trap, light from the LED is reflected off the shiny surface inside
the shadow trap, which means that more light is bounced onto the glow‑in‑the‑dark
surface.
Glow‑in‑the‑dark materials contain phosphors, which radiate light after becoming
energised. The glow‑in‑the‑dark surface of the shadow trap is said to be
phosphorescent. It absorbs light from the LED and stores it briefly, re‑emitting
it over a longer period of time as a glow.
Only those phosphorescent materials that were exposed to light will glow later.
Therefore when a shadow is cast on the glow‑in‑the‑dark surface light cannot
be absorbed there and that area will not glow.
Discussion
•
What would happen if you moved the opaque shapes closer to the light source?
•
How does the mirrored surface inside the box help?
Step‑by‑step instructions on building your Light Launchpod – a shadow trap are on the DVD.
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Extensions
•• Try replacing the UV LED with the high-brightness LED. You should see a
difference in the length of time the image lasts on the film. Which image lasts
longest and why?
•• If you have access to a flash gun from a camera, try using this to make shadows. It
will provide much more light than the LEDs.
•• You could cut out small shapes from a variety of materials of varying opacity
and investigate the range of shadows they produce. Does the colour of the material
affect the colour of the shadow?
•• Try incorporating a device into your contraption that will act as a timer, indicating
how long to leave the glow-in-the-dark film under the light.
Links to the Science Museum
There is an interactive exhibit called Shadow Trap in the Light section of the Launchpad
gallery. Strike a pose in front of the special glow-in-the-dark wall and when the light
flashes see the shadow you’ve left behind.
More to do with light
Within the Launchbox you will find more materials associated with light:
•• 2x 2.5 V light bulbs with holders
•• 1x high-brightness LED
•• 1x rainbow LED
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Sound
In the Sound section of the Launchbox
you will find the material needed to make
a music dock which can be connected
to an MP3 player, mobile phone or other
music player that takes a standard-sized
headphone jack. You could create a
mechanism to turn the music on part
way through your chain reaction or you
could mount the music player onto a
motorised vehicle that forms part of
your contraption.
The science behind the downhill racer
An electric current will only flow through a complete circuit. In this circuit batteries
provide the electrical energy that flows and some of this energy is converted to sound
energy by the speakers.
Sound travels in waves and occurs when objects vibrate. Vibrations of an object cause
the vibration of surrounding air particles. When the sound waves reach your ears,
the moving air particles cause the eardrum to vibrate and your brain interprets these
vibrations as sound. In the music dock electrical signals from the music player are
turned into vibrations of the speaker’s diaphragm, which in turn creates sound waves.
Speakers use permanent magnets and electromagnets to create the vibration of
the diaphragm. When the music dock is switched on an alternating current flows
through the speakers. As the current alternates it causes constant fluctuations in the
orientation of the electromagnet’s poles. This creates a constant pushing and pulling
on the speaker’s diaphragm, causing it to vibrate and produce sound waves.
As the sound heard through the music dock is produced by the vibration of the
speakers, placing the speakers on a work surface will cause that surface to vibrate,
distorting the sound. To improve sound quality, the speakers need to be raised off the
work surface, allowing the sound waves to travel through air.
Discussion
•
Why is the sound quality improved when you lift the speakers off the work surface?
•
Would bigger speakers produce different sound?
Step‑by‑step instructions on building your Sound Launchpod – a music dock are on the DVD.
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Extensions
•• You can add either tilt switches or microswitches to the music dock and experiment
with different ways of turning the system on and off. Remember, microswitches can
be wired to work in two different ways.
•• You can improve the sound quality from the speakers if they are lifted off the work
surface. Try building the speaker housing from different materials and with different
designs to see how they affect the quality and volume of the music.
•• To build a contraption that explores sound in more detail, try adding simple
percussion instruments from your music department. Can you use the vibrations of
a drum to move something?
Links to the Science Museum
In the Launchpad gallery’s Sound section you will find six interactive exhibits that
illustrate how sound travels in waves and is caused by vibrations.
More to do with sound
In the Launchbox you will find a loud buzzer. Try combining it with either a tilt switch or
microswitch to create a burglar alarm.
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Materials
The Materials Launchpod is a seesaw which
can be used to compare the viscosity of various
liquids. There are plastic cups on each side of
the seesaw to hold liquids. One of the cups has
a small hole in the bottom allowing liquids to run
out slowly, shifting the balance of the seesaw.
A tilt switch mounted on the side of the seesaw
provides an on/off switch for the next step of
your chain reaction. Provide your students
with a large variety of liquids to investigate.
In addition to water, try cooking oil, ketchup,
golden syrup, honey and fine sand.
The science behind the sticky-liquids seesaw
A seesaw is an example of a simple machine. The pivot in the centre of the seesaw
means forces acting on one end of the seesaw will cause the opposite end to move. The
force acting around this pivot is called a moment.
Viscosity is a measure of the resistance of a fluid to flow. It can be thought of as a
measure of fluid friction. Viscosity depends on the strength of the forces between
molecules in a fluid and the temperature of the fluid, which will affect the kinetic
energy of these molecules.
Fluids with a higher viscosity will take longer to move through the hole in the cup than
those with a lower viscosity.
Discussion
•
Is viscosity confined to liquids or can we see it in gases and solids?
•
Do you know of any liquids that change their viscosity?
Step‑by‑step instructions on building your Materials Launchpod – a sticky‑liquids seesaw
are on the DVD.
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Extensions
•• Try placing some of the liquids in a fridge overnight or gently heating them with
a Bunsen burner to illustrate how their properties can be affected by changes in
temperature. Golden syrup is particularly useful in this experiment.
•• Instead of using the tilt switch fitted to the seesaw, try using the movement of the
seesaw itself to turn on a microswitch underneath it or knock over another item.
•• Try using the syringes and PVC tubing supplied in the Launchbox to carry out further
investigations into viscosity and the properties of liquids.
•• Hand pumps and PVC tubing can be used to push bubbles through the liquids,
helping to illustrate their different viscosities.
Links to the Science Museum
This Launchpod mechanism is based on the Launchpad gallery’s Sticky Liquids. This
interactive exhibit compares the properties of three liquids of varying viscosity. In the
Launchpad gallery students can also explore the properties of various materials and
observe changes in state including freezing and sublimation.
In the Challenge of Materials gallery students can see a range of unusual objects,
and explore their properties and the processes behind their production. The gallery
includes a glass bridge that you can walk over and a wedding dress made from steel.
More to do with materials
You will find a variety of materials within the Launchbox, including a piece of Eco Film.
This is a biodegradable plastic that will dissolve when it comes into contact with water.
It takes some time to dissolve, making it useful for slowing down fast‑moving parts in
your contraption.
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Energy
Transfer
This Launchpod is a simple
vibrating bug that can be
customised in a number
of ways and can be used
in your contraption to
knock things over.
The science behind the vibrating bug
Batteries transfer stored chemical energy as electrical energy in charges moving
through wires. The motor converts this into an electromotive force, rotating the spindle
of the motor. An off‑centre mass is connected to the motor spindle. The uneven
distribution of weight on this wheel causes a slight imbalance in the bug, resulting in
the vibrating movement – an example of kinetic energy.
Discussion
•
How many forms of energy can you observe in your own chain‑reaction contraption?
Extensions
•
As this section is about energy transfer, see how many different types of energy
you can get your bug to convert its own kinetic energy into in the next step of the
chain reaction.
•
Try adding different switches to your bug to create starting mechanisms that will
allow you to incorporate it into your contraption.
•
You can adapt your bug in a number of ways. Try experimenting with the length and
number of cuts you make in the cup or use axle rods to form legs. You could even
decorate your bug to look like a Dalek!
•
Try attaching an LED to the inside of the cup, pointing down onto the work surface.
Place your bug on the glow‑in‑the‑dark film from the Light Launchpod and see if it
will draw patterns across the surface with the light from the LED.
Step‑by‑step instructions on building your Energy Transfer Launchpod – a vibrating bug
are on the DVD.
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Links to the Science Museum
In the Energy Transfer section of the Launchpad gallery you can view the film On the
Move and use exercise bikes to convert your own energy into electrical energy.
In the Museum’s Energy Hall you can see a collection of steam engines from the
earliest models to those that still generate electricity today. The hands-on Energy
gallery uses interactive exhibits to look at how energy fuels our lives and where we get
our energy from.
More to do with energy transfer
Of course your entire contraption neatly illustrates the theme of energy transfer. Using
the equipment in the Launchbox it’s possible to build a contraption in which you can
observe all eight forms of energy that are in the KS3 curriculum – light, sound, kinetic,
gravitational potential, chemical, electrical, elastic potential and thermal.
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Forces and
Motion
This Launchpod allows you
to compare the velocity of two
almost identical objects. They can
be used to knock over dominoes
or turn on microswitches.
The science behind the downhill racer
The downhill racer illustrates how rotating speed can be affected by the change in
mass radius, i.e. how far the mass extends from the centre. The two discs have the
same mass and measurements; the only difference is how the mass is distributed
across the disc. When the mass is closer to the centre of the rotating axis, it travels
faster than when the mass is placed towards the outer edge of the disc.
Discussion
Use the comparison between the two discs to discuss the importance of fair tests.
The only variable in this Launchpod should be the distribution of mass on the discs.
Extensions
•
By altering the number of roller bearings used to add mass to the discs, you can
illustrate that a smaller mass will rotate faster.
•
Experiment with what happens next. Can you get the discs to turn on a switch,
knock over a domino or make a seesaw move? Can you use both discs to make your
contraption split in two and move simultaneously in two directions?
•
Try and create a starting mechanism that allows the two discs to be set off at the
same time with equal force.
Step‑by‑step instructions on building your Forces and Motion Launchpod – a downhill
racer are on the DVD.
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Links to the Science Museum
A larger version of the downhill racer can be found in the Launchpad gallery. It works
in exactly the same way as the one in the Launchbox. In the Forces and Motion section
of the gallery you will find 13 interactive exhibits which allow your students to explore
frictional and rotational forces, as well as pushes and pulls and pressure.
More to do with forces and motion
The materials within the Launchbox lend themselves to experimenting with friction
and air resistance (either using them in your favour or trying to overcome them). You
can use the Launchbox contraption to illustrate Newton’s laws of motion.
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Electricity and
Magnetism
This Launchpod is a motorised vehicle
that is switched on when a microswitch
lever is released. The vehicle has an
electromagnet mounted on it which is
operated by a separate switch and can be
used to transport a metal ball bearing.
There is enough equipment within the main
section of the Launchbox to build a second
vehicle, though there is only one set of
equipment for making the electromagnet.
The science behind the electromagnetic buggy
The buggy uses the stored chemical energy from the battery to power the motor and
create forward motion. The circuit includes a switch, and electricity will not flow until
the switch is opened, which completes the circuit.
When an electrical current flows through a wire it creates a magnetic field around
the wire. This causes the metal core within the wire to become magnetised. You
can increase the strength of the electromagnet by adding more coils to the wire or
increasing the strength of the current by using more batteries.
The electromagnet can be turned off by interrupting the flow of electricity through the
wire. This happens when the microswitch is closed.
Discussion
•
Electromagnets are used in many things from speakers to power stations. How
many real‑life applications can you find?
•
What would happen if you were to use different materials for the core?
Extensions
•
Try adding tyres or experimenting with different wheels on your buggy and seeing
how it performs over different surfaces.
•
The electromagnet could be used independently of the buggy and operated with a
microswitch.
Step‑by‑step instructions on building your Electricity and Magnetism Launchpod – an
electromagnet buggy are on the DVD.
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Links to the Science Museum
Within the Launchpad gallery students can see a much larger electromagnet in action
as well as observing eddy currents and testing their understanding of electrical
circuits.
More to do with electricity and magnetism
Within the Launchbox there are two rare-earth magnets which have been encased
in Corriflute to protect them. There are also several battery packs which can be
connected to electric motors, buzzers and bulbs to explore electric circuits.
You will also find a piece of electronylon. This fabric has small amounts of metal woven
through it and can conduct electricity. It’s perfect for creating your own switches, as its
larger surface area makes it easier to construct mechanisms in your machine that will
complete circuits.
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Curriculum links
UK National Curriculum Key Stage 3 (as at July 2010)
Science
1.1 Scientific thinking
a. Using scientific ideas and models to explain phenomena and developing them creatively
to generate and test theories.
2.1 Practical and enquiry skills
Students should be able to:
a. Use a range of scientific methods and techniques to develop and test ideas
and explanations.
b. Assess risk and work safely in the laboratory, field and workplace.
c. Plan and carry out practical and investigative activities, both individually and in groups.
3.1 Energy, electricity and forces
a. Energy can be transferred usefully, stored or dissipated, but cannot be created
or destroyed.
b. Forces are interactions between objects and can affect their shape and motion.
c. Electric current in circuits can produce a variety of effects.
4 Curriculum opportunities
Students should be able to:
a. Research, experiment, discuss and develop arguments.
f. Use creativity and innovation in science, and appreciate their importance in enterprise.
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Design and Technology
1.1 Designing and making
b. Applying knowledge of materials and production processes to design products and
produce practical solutions that are relevant and fit for purpose.
1.3 Creativity
a. Making links between principles of good design, existing solutions and technological
knowledge to develop innovative products and processes.
b. Reinterpreting and applying learning in new design contexts and communicating ideas
in new or unexpected ways.
c. Exploring and experimenting with ideas, materials, technologies and techniques.
2 Key processes
Students should be able to:
a. Generate, develop, model and communicate ideas in a range of ways, using
appropriate strategies.
b. Respond creatively to briefs, developing their own proposals and producing specifications
for products.
c. Apply their knowledge and understanding of a range of materials, ingredients and
technologies to design and make their products.
d. Use their understanding of others’ designing to inform their own.
g. Solve technical problems.
h. Reflect critically when evaluating and modifying their ideas and proposals to improve
products throughout their development and manufacture.
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Scottish Curriculum for Excellence (as at July 2010)
Forces
SCN 2-07a
By investigating how friction, including air resistance, affects motion, I can suggest ways to
improve efficiency in moving objects.
SCN 2-08a
I have collaborated in investigations to compare magnetic, electrostatic and gravitational
forces and have explored their practical applications.
SCN 3-07a
By contributing to investigations of energy loss due to friction, I can suggest ways of
improving the efficiency of moving systems.
SCN 3-08a
I have collaborated in investigations into the effects of gravity on objects and I can predict
what might happen to their weight in different situations on Earth and in space.
Electricity
SCN 2-09a
I have used a range of electrical components to help to make a variety of circuits for differing
purposes. I can represent my circuit using symbols and describe the transfer of energy
around the circuit.
SCN 3-09a
Having measured the current and voltage in series and parallel circuits, I can design a
circuit to show the advantages of parallel circuits in an everyday application.
SCN 4-09a
Through investigation, I understand the relationship between current, voltage and resistance.
I can apply this knowledge to solve practical problems.
SCN 4-09b
By contributing to investigations into the properties of a range of electronic components, I
can select and use them as input and output devices in practical electronic circuits.
SCN 4-09c
Using my knowledge of electronic components and switching devices, I can help to engineer
an electronic system to provide a practical solution to a real-life situation.
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Links to other contraptions
Websites such as YouTube are currently replete with examples of home-made chainreaction contraptions. Every year, schools and science clubs across the United States
compete to build the best chain-reaction contraption in the National Rube Goldberg Machine
Contest. And we are seeing more and more everyday examples of such contraptions in our
popular culture (see below).
Rube Goldberg
Rube Goldberg was an American engineer and later a cartoonist best known for his pictures
of contraptions. These were crazy contraptions with wheels, arms, gears and levers carrying
out a simple task in an extremely inefficient way.
The term Rube Goldberg can now be found in Webster’s Dictionary, where it is defined as
‘accomplishing by complex means what could seemingly be done simply’. In Britain the
name Heath Robinson is sometimes used in the same way. Robinson was an English-born
cartoonist who produced similar illustrations to Rube Goldberg. Both men’s work was
extremely popular in the 1930s.
Film and TV
In 2003 Honda produced a famous advert called ‘The Cog’ which started with a single cog
rolling along a piece of wood and, after a series of chain reaction events, ended with a car
driving down a ramp.
Many of the Wallace & Gromit short films feature inventions by Wallace that carry out a
simple task in an inefficient way. Films such as Edward Scissorhands, Hotel for Dogs, The
Goonies and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang all feature inefficient machines that use chain reactions
to operate.
In 2010 the American band OK Go released the single ‘This Too Shall Pass’, which featured
an impressive chain-reaction contraption that operated in time to the music. This film was
shot in one continuous take, showing that the contraption worked from beginning to end.
Games
The classic children’s board game Mouse Trap! uses a chain reaction to trap the losing
player’s mouse. Part of this chain reaction features a man diving into a barrel. If you look
closely you might spot him in the On the Move film.
The Sony computer game Little Big Planet allows players to build their own levels for the
character Sackboy to explore. These levels can often take on a Rube Goldberg style featuring
dominoes, seesaws, balls and levers, much like your own Launchbox contraption.
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The Science Museum is the most popular destination for science, technology and engineering in the UK.
Science Museum Learning kits have been developed with teachers and students to be fun and promote
engagement and discussion. Whether you’re looking to generate awe and wonder in your teaching or your
STEM Club, we help make sense of the science that shapes our lives.
Produced under licence from SCMG Enterprises Ltd. Science Museum trade mark ® SCMG.
Every purchase supports the museum. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/educators