1 The MESA Machine Ball Launch 2019 2020

1 The MESA Machine: Ball Launch 2019 -2020

Learning Objectives By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 1 explain the rules to students, 2 demonstrate specific simple machines, elastic energy, and circuits, and 3 create a complex machine from available materials to launch a ping pong ball the farthest distance.

A complicated device designed to execute a simple task in a complex, indirect way. What is the MESA Machine?

(1) Stomp down on board to launch rock into the air. (2) Rock lands on balance causing one side to drop and the other side to move up. (3) When balance moves up so does the finger, switching on the fan. (4) Fan turns on and blows sheet out of the way revealing the carrot to the rabbit. (5) As rabbit tries to walk toward carrot, conveyor belt moves candle under string. (6) when string gets burnt it causes the swing arm to fall and pop the fish bag. (7) fish falls into fish bowl. (8) cat sees fish and tries to get it. (9) As the cat moves forward toward the fish bowl the skate rolls and the finger presses on the on button.

OK Go – This Too Shall Pass Video https: //www. youtube. com/ watch? v=qyb. UFn. Y 7 Y 8 w

The MESA Machine: Ball Launch Middle School (6 th and 7 th/8 th ) High School (9 th/10 th and 11 th/12 th) • Launch a 2 -inch vinyl kick ball – distance • Launch a 2 -inch vinyl kick ball – accuracy • 75 cm by 75 cm • 50 cm by 50 cm – No parts, including moving ones (except liquids), may extend outside of Machine Launch Zone • Machine initiated by a single operation of pulling a string outside of designated zones • Machine must do all the work after initiation • 3 to 6 sequential and dependent actions • 4 to 8 sequential and dependent actions

The MESA Machine: Ball Launch Middle School (6 th and 7 th/8 th ) • 3 different categories of energy/simple machines – – Gravity Springs or rubber bands Levers or pulleys Electronics High School (9 th/10 th and 11 th/12 th) • 4 different categories of energy/simple machines – – – Gravity Springs or rubber bands Levers or pulleys Electronics Pressurized fluids • Modifications allowed during competition • Scoring – Machine (10 pts per action) + Distance (> distance) + Time (< time) – Tie-breaker / Notebook – Machine (10 pts per action) + Distance (< distance) + Time (> time) – Tie-breaker / Notebook

Middle School Competition Area Specs

High School Competition Area Specs

Engineering Lab Book

Stations Inclined Planes Levers Pulleys Rubber bands Electronics (circuits) Activity 1: What You Should Know Objectives: • Experiment with inclined planes, levers, pulleys, rubber bands, and circuits • At your own pace; limited time

Activity 2: Design and Launch Challenge Objective: • Design and build a complex machine from available supplies to launch a ping-pong ball the farthest distance Supplies per Group: • 1 ping-pong ball • 2 marbles or equivalent • 1 plastic water bottle or soda can • 2 plastic spoons • 1 mousetrap • 1 – 2 AA battery holder • • • 1 motor 5 straws 10 craft sticks 10 rubber bands 5 small paper clips 5 large paper clips General Supplies: • • Foam board / cardboard Scissors / box cutters Masking tape Glue guns • String • Wire strippers

Activity 2 • Using any of the available supplies, create a complex machine to launch the ping-pong ball the farthest distance. Brainstorm ideas and create a plan and drawing of your design. – Device must have at least three different sequential and dependent actions. – Device must use three different categories of energy/simple machine from the following: Gravity Spring (+ 100 cm) Elastic Lever Pulley Motor (+ 200 cm) Testing • Select a launch area on the ground and use masking tape to create a launch line. – The action to initiate the device may count as one of the three actions. • Measure distance traveled from launch line.

Resources / Contact • Rules and curriculum at https: //mesa. ucop. edu/ • Teach Engineering at https: //www. teachengineering. org/ • Rube. Goldberg. com at https: //www. rubegoldberg. com/ education/teaching-resources/ Ben Louie USC MESA blouie@usc. edu