RECYCLED RACERS
DUE: Friday, September 26 th
Objective: Students are to demonstrate the concept of propulsion! HOW DOES IT WORK?
The concept behind the Balloon Powered Car is pretty simple, but that doesn't make it any less impressive! When you blow up the balloon, set your racer down, and let it go, escaping air from the balloon rushes out of the straw causing propulsion. The principle at work is
Newton's Third Law of Motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the case of the Balloon Powered Car, the action is the air rushing from the straw. The reaction is the movement of the car!
The moving Balloon Powered Car has kinetic energy, but even an object that isn't moving has energy. This energy is called potential energy. The potential energy of the car is in the elastic material of the balloon. As the balloon fills with air, it builds more potential energy. As the air flows from the balloon, it changes to kinetic energy. This is the conservation of energy.
- See more at: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/balloon-poweredrace-car#sthash.bFeMMgYm
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Additional Resources: http://www.instructables.com/id/4-Wheel-Balloon-Car/ http://pbskids.org/designsquad/build/4-wheel-balloon-car/
Materials: Blueprint (diagram and plan)
Recyclable materials to build the vehicle (ex: soda can, water bottle, etc.)
2 straws
4 wheels, 2 axles
2 balloons
These are just suggestions feel free to research other ideas
Directions: Work on your own to design a race car. Decide which type of recyclable products, you will need. You may use anything you want as wheels (Flinstones push-up popsicles work great).
You are not allowed to buy anything!!
When you have decided what you will use to make your car, make a drawing of it on notebook paper (this is part one of your blueprint). Plan your design so that the car will be light weight and so that the wheels will easily roll. Build your car using the materials you have chosen. You can reposition or readjust the car parts as needed to get the best results. Your goal is to have your car travel at least two meters. Check your wheel position—you do not want your car to turn or you will lose distance.

Blueprint: Due on Thursday, September 25 th BEFORE we race.
Part One: Sketch of your balloon racer. Label the drawing with the materials you plan to use.
Part Two: Write 3 paragraphs on notebook paper including the following: “Why I chose this design”, materials used to build the car, hypothesize on distance your car will travel and how fast it will travel), the building process (problems, successes, etc), and a conclusion.
Hypothesis: How far you think your car will travel and how fast (speed).
Data: On race day, you will get to race your car three times. We will set up a data table to record you data for each trial. You will time how fast your car travels at the two meter mark, as well as measure how far it goes. We will determine the speed by dividing the distance over time (d/t = s). Make sure you average all of your trials. This is part of your grade but it will be completed on after we race our cars.
Use the attached rubric to make sure you followed all directions and to allow you the best opportunity to get the highest score possible on this lab.
GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!
RUBRIC FOR RECYCLED RACERS This project/lab is for a grade. Racers are due on O9/26/14 when you come to class. If you are absent on Race Day, you will still receive a grade but will not be able to race against your classmates.
Requirements Possible Points Points Earned
Finished Racer on 09/26/14 20
Blueprint Part 1 (labeled sketch)
Blueprint Part 2 (3 paragraphs)
Data Table (distance traveled and speed)
Total
10
10
10
50

Name:_______________________________ Date :__________ Class:__________
RUBRIC FOR RECYCLED RACERS This project/lab is for a grade. Racers are due on O9/26/14 when you come to class. If you are absent on Race Day, you will still receive a grade but will not be able to race against your classmates.
Requirements Possible Points Points Earned
Finished Racer on 09/26/14 20
Blueprint Part 1 (labeled sketch)
Blueprint Part 2 (3 paragraphs)
Data Table (distance traveled and speed)
Total
10
10
10
50
Name:_______________________________ Date :__________ Class:__________
RUBRIC FOR RECYCLED RACERS This project/lab is for a grade. Racers are due on O9/26/14 when you come to class. If you are absent on Race Day, you will still receive a grade but will not be able to race against your classmates.
Requirements Possible Points Points Earned
Finished Racer on 09/26/14 20
Blueprint Part 1 (labeled sketch)
Blueprint Part 2 (3 paragraphs)
Data Table (distance traveled and speed)
Total
10
10
10
50

Data Chart
Test
Distance
Time
Speed
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3