Rube Goldberg Machines A Science Lesson in Force

Thumbs Up -- Thumbs Down I have heard of Rube Goldberg Machines. I think I can explain what one is. I have seen one before. I have made one before. I have no clue what a Rube Goldberg Machine is.

An extreme Rube Goldberg Machine in OK Go’s music video.

Who is Rube Goldberg? Born in 1883 A cartoonist, engineer, inventor Pulitzer Prize in 1948 Best known for poking fun at America’s obsession with technology Created complicated gadgets to perform simple tasks

Science Concepts Behind a Rube Goldberg Machine Force Energy Simple Machines

What is force? Force is a fancy word for pushing or pulling something. Force makes things move (or really change their motion). Two natural forces are gravity and magnetism.

Energy Transfers Energy is transferred from one object to another when a reaction takes place. Energy comes in many forms and can be transferred from one object to another as. . . heat light motion

How many energy transfers do you observe?

What are simply machines? Simple machines are devices that can make a tough job easier by enabling a person to apply less force or to apply force in a direction that is easier to manipulate. There are six types of simple machines… Think Pair Share What are the six types of simple machines?

Lever Wedge Pulley Screw Inclined Plane Wheel & Axil

Use what you have learned about simple machines, force and energy to … Design Today you will work with your team to design your own Rube Goldberg machine! You will need to be creative and cooperative to achieve your goal.

Growth Mindset… It is really important to have a Growth Mindset today… Failures and mistakes WILL happen during this lab! Learn from it and have fun with it!

Criteria for Success 1. Determine a goal- (what will your machine accomplish? ) 2. You must use at least 5 different materials found around the classroom to construct your machine. 3. The energy must transfer at least 3 times. 4. Use your i. Pad to record your trials, errors & successes. 5. Be creative. 6. Work cooperatively. 7. At the end, clean up everything you used in the classroom. Remember, you only have today to design and test your machine! So let’s get to work!