Building a Gravity-Powered Vehicle: 5 Meter Challenge

[anna.kate]

i have to build a vehicle "powered soely by gravitational potential energy that will travel at least a linewar distance of 5 meters under its own power. no elastic potential energy (such as a mousetrap) allowed"

i was wondering if anyone out there had any idea on where to start or knew of a website that would provide blueprints of some sort.


thanks a million!

 

[Tide]

What ideas have you come up with so far?

 

[anna.kate]

well, we have to create our own wheels and axle system... like we can't use anything that was made for a wheel or an axle, so i was thinking i would use dowel rods for the axel, and depending on how heavy it was, i would use cds or pvc endcaps for the wheels... and then maybe lead fishing sinkers for the weight? i just don't know where to start...

 

[Tide]

There are lots of possibilities. How about a pulley arrangement where a falling lead weight (attached to the pulley) turns your axle to propel the car?

 

[andrevdh]

The pulley system could also incorporate a flywheel in order to keep going after the weight has reached the bottom (one could maybe also start the motion of the vehicle only after the weight dropped - engage drive mechanism - after the flywheel have build up speed)

Another idea - use a water steam coming from the bottom of a container to drive the vehicle.

 

[anna.kate]

tide, what you said is exactly what i was thinking... but where do i start? and how do i get the string not to catch anywhere on the car? like, do i need a plastic piece of some sort?

 

[Tide]

tide, what you said is exactly what i was thinking... but where do i start? and how do i get the string not to catch anywhere on the car? like, do i need a plastic piece of some sort?

Start by making a sketch followed by a prototype to help discover design flaws - such as string getting caught. You may need guide grooves or holes or some kind of guard such as plastic or screening material.

Good luck!

 

[anna.kate]

thanks for your help!