The Nifty Lifting Machine
In this Chapter Project, you will design and build a lifting machine and then demonstrate it to
the class. It will count as 2 Test Grades.
Your Goal
To design, build, and test a complex machine that can lift a 600-gram load 5 centimeters using
150 grams or less as your input force (OR: another amount of 4:1 load weight: input weight)
Your machine must
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•
•
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Be made of materials that are approved by your teacher
Consist of at least two different types of simple machines working in combination to lift
the load.
Be able to lift the 600g load to a height of at least 5 centimeters
Include an 8 ½ x 11 (notebook paper) sized diagram showing an illustration of your
machine, the ideal mechanical advantages of each of the simple machines (include
measurements in cm), and the ideal and actual mechanical advantages of your machine
as a whole.
Project Rules
• The load can is a sturdy soup/coffee can, bottom of plastic bottle (etc), filled with 600g
of sand/pennies/marbles/etc. (not a flexible bag). You can lift the can from below, or
you can lift it from above using string, or you can pull it from the side.
•
The input can is identical to the load can except that it will be empty. When you
demonstrate your project, you will fill it with no more than 150g of
sand/pennies/marbles, etc., until the load can has been raised 5 cm.
•
The distance the load must be RAISED is 5 cm, measuring from the lowest point of the
load before and after the device is used. This means that if you are pulling up a ramp, it
still needs to go 5 cm VERTICALLY from the lowest point.
•
Your device must contain a combination of at least two different types of simple
machines to help lift the load. This means that using wheels on a car to reduce friction
or a screw to hold pieces of wood together does not count!
•
Imaginary walls extend upward from a 1-meter square area in which your device must
be able to sit. You need to design your device with this size limitation in mind. No taller,
wider or longer than 1 meter!
•
Exercise caution when building your device to prevent injuries. Always ask an adult for
assistance if you are using any type of power tool.
•
You must create a diagram (no larger than a piece of notebook paper) that illustrates
the following:
o A title
o A neat and colorful drawing of your machine
o The ideal mechanical advantage of each simple machine
! Include measurements in centimeters used to calculate the ideal
mechanical advantages
o The ideal mechanical advantages of your machine as a whole
o The actual mechanical advantage of your machine with measurements of input
and output masses. This should be measured BEFORE the demonstration, so it
can be included on the diagram
o The efficiency (Actual MA / Ideal MA) of your machine
o You may need more pages for your calculations and explanations. Make the
whole diagram + pages “presentation neat”.
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To calculate the ideal mechanical advantage of a compound machine, multiply the ideal
mechanical advantages of each of its simple machines.
•
To calculate the actual mechanical advantage of a compound machine, divide the
output force (the weight put inside the heavier can) by the input force (weight put inside
the lighter can).
•
Projects that have superior mechanical advantage (> 4.5:1 ) will get extra credit (see
grading rubric).
•
The project with the greatest actual mechanical advantage will get 5 pts extra credit.
•
Projects that use more than 2 simple machines will get 5 pts for each additional
machine used. NOTE: sometimes more machines add more opportunities for friction,
so be careful!
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When you present your project, you will:
1. describe how the machine works,
2. reference your diagram and measurements to explain its ideal mechanical
advantage (IMA),
3. and then demonstrate your machine and
4. show the calculations for actual mechanical advantage (AMA).
5. Finally, show the calculations for your machine’s efficiency (AMA / IMA)
•
You cannot use any form of electricity or magnetism to power your machine – the only
thing that will make the 600g rise, is the force provided from the 150g (or less) that you
put into the machine.
•
You must make your project work! Even if you need to use more than 150g to lift the
600g (you will lose some points for this), you must make it work!
Suggested Materials
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You will need materials to build your device. Some possibilities include wood scraps of
all sizes, cardboard and plastic tubes, nails and screws, coat hangers, straws, spools,
cups, cans, wire, toy wheels, toy cars, string, paper clips and cardboard. You can use
other materials but must ask your teacher’s permission first.
•
You do not need to purchase a lot of the materials needed…look around your home for
things you can use! Pulleys can be made from spools of thread or rolls of tape!
Think of how to reduce friction. You may want to use sand paper or light lubricating oil
to improve the efficiency of your device.
Project Hints
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Before designing your device, you will need to get some ideas. Look at the machines around
you to see how simple machines are used to perform simple tasks.
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Before you start building, draw diagrams of several different designs.
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Consult your textbook and notes to learn how you might improve the device by changing the
length of a lever, by adding a pulley, or by changing the angle of a plane.
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The simple machines that you should be using can include inclined planes, wheel and axles,
gears, levers, and pulleys (you will not be able to use wedges or screws to help you lift the
600g).
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If you cannot measure out exactly 150 g and 600 g, you can use a 4 to 1 ratio of any weights.
This project will count as a test grade and will be due on
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
This project was assigned on Dec. 11, 2020
Preliminary Design Sketch
Tuesday., Dec. 15
Second Sketch with
materials and measurements
Thursday, Dec 17
Test machine in class
Monday, January 4, 2021 (first day after vacation)
Completed Machine with
finalized diagram including
measurements and calculations
Wednesday, January 6, 2021 (third day after
vacation)
Rubric for grading
4
Machine
Building
35 pts
Appearance/
Creativity
15 pts
- Student follows all Project
Rules,
- work shows evidence of
having thoroughly tested and
modified the machine before
the due date,
- testing includes accurate
evaluation of AMA. 35 pts
Machine looks very neat and
professional; student use of
materials and design is
extraordinarily creative.
15 pts
Diagram
25 pts
Sketch of machine is neat,
colorful, and includes all of
the following: a title, an
illustration of the machine,
accurate ideal and actual
mechanical advantages,
measurements for each simple
machine, input and output
masses, and individual
simple machine mechanical
advantages. Includes
complete description/
explanation of the IMA
calculation and AMA testing,
and efficiency. 25 pts
Project
Presentation/
Demonstration
25 pts
Presentation is thorough and
well organized. Student(s)
communicate all appropriate
features of the machine,
calculations, testings;
demonstrate complete
understanding of the IMA
principles and calculation and
AMA testing, and calculating
efficiency. Machine lifts the
load 5 cm with a Mechanical
Advantage of 4 or more.
25 pts
Superior AMA:
between 4.5:1 & 5:1 – 2 pt
between 5 & 6:1 – 3 pt
> 6:1 – 5 pt
Bonuses
3
2
Student follows most
of the Project Rules,
and work shows
evidence … . Testing
includes rough
evaluation of AMA.
28 pts
Student follows
some … , and work
shows some
evidence ... . Testing
only includes
minimal demonstration of 4:1 AMA.
18 pts
Machine looks
somewhat neat and
professional; student
use of materials and
design is creative.
10 pts
Sketch of machine is
somewhat neat,
colorful, and/or
includes all but two
of the following: … .
16 pts
Student did not
follow many of the
Project Rules, and
work shows little
evidence of having
tested and modified
the machine. 10 pts
Presentation is
adequate. Student
communicates most
features … ; demonstrates adequate
understanding … .
Machine lifts the
with MA between
3.0 and 3.9.
20 pts
Presentation
appropriate, but is
hard to follow.
Student communicates some features
… ; demonstrates
some understanding
… . Machine lifts
with MA between
2.0 and 2.9.
13 pts
Presentation is
inappropriate and
hard to follow.
Student communicates a few features
of the machine;
demonstrates little
understanding … .
Machine does not lift
the load 5 cm or has
a MA of 1.9 or less.
7 pts
Greatest AMA in
class: 5 pts
> 2 simple machines:
5 pts ea
Machine looks neat
and professional;
student use of
materials and design
is very creative.
13 pts
Sketch of machine is
somewhat neat,
colorful, or includes
all but one of the
following: … .
21 pts
1
Machine does not
look neat or
professional; student
use of materials and
design is not very
creative. 5 pts
Sketch of machine is
not neat, or colorful,
and is missing more
than two of the
following; … . 7 pts
Final Grade_________________________