Buoyant Forces & Archimedes Principle

You are tasked to create a cardboard boat that can hold a minimum of 3 people. You will have the week I am gone for paternity leave to work.

For safety we can not have any extra chemicals in the pool. Certain types of cardboard have industrial grade glue that has potential to change the color of the water of the pool. Please do not use any industrial cardboard.

You may use as much cardboard as you need, however, the total thickness at any point can not exceed 2 inches.

Rules

1. The boat MAY NOT be painted in any way.
2. The boat MAY NOT be wrapped in plastic wrapper, foam, or bubble wrap
3. NO POOL NOODLES or other flotation devices except for on your person.
4. You may use the following:
   1. Up to 25 meters (82 feet) of duct tape about a rolls worth
   2. Rope or string
   3. Up to 16 zip ties
   4. Cardboard
   5. Carpet tubes- limited to 20 total feet of carpet tubes. The 20 feet includes the full circumference of the tubes. So if you cut them in half the long way you may use up to 40 feet
   6. You may use up to 2 small sticks of hot glue.

I will not be providing any materials. Your group should bring your own glue sticks, cardboard, tape, etc…

General Grading

Each group must turn in one blueprint that needs to be very descriptive and have three perspectives giving all dimensions (front, side, top). If your boat isn’t symmetrical then you will need more dimensions. USE the larger paper provided by Mr. Goeldi for your final blueprint and please use a ruler/meter stick to help make straight lines. The lines should be fairly proportional to the actual measurements on your boat. For example if your blueprint is ¼ the size of your boat, each measurement on the paper should be about ¼ the size. Include the measurements of each segment on the blueprint and provide a key for how it will scale with the actual boat itself.

You may not start building until the substitute has approve your design and puts his/her signature on the back of your blueprint. Please include each person’s name on the back of the blueprint as well.

In addition, on the back of your blue print your group should include the minimum volume that your boat needs to be to ensure that it will float. A second calculation should be made for what is the theoretical maximum your boat could hold based on the blueprint measurements.

Things to consider when designing your boat.

Durability

Strength

Amount of materials

Time to build

Ability to carry passengers.

Grading points:

• Time spent in class- based off of the subs observations- I will have her record who is not using time efficiently (2 points each day) - if you’re sick you are expected to make up the time in advisory, lunch, or study hall. (5 days- 10 points total)
• How well does your boat float. 5 points for lasting a full minutes, 4 for 45 seconds, 3 for 30 seconds, 2 for it breaking instantly. I won’t go below a 2 unless your boat seems to instantly sink with no weight. added
• Calculate what is the minimum amount of water that needs to be displaced to hold the weight of the passengers. (2 points.)
• Calculating the maximum buoyant force for your boat based on your blueprint, Work should be shown (3 points)
• Blueprint for your boat. - Must be scaled appropriately, have accurate measurements for your boat, and address how things are secured. Try to give three different perspectives (side, top, front). (5 points)

25 points in total.

Bonus points may be given for the following:

• Last boat to sink (may be split up among all boats that float)
• Aesthetically most appealing boat
• Cardboard paddles
  • You will need to provide your paddles. Please ensure they are clean to help keep the pool clean and sanitary but bonus points will be provided for custom made cardboard paddles. (A snow shovel does not count as a custom made paddle). The duct tape limit is not included on the paddles so you may use as much as you need on the cardboard paddles. Wrapping a normal paddle in duct tape won’t get you extra credit nor will wrapping a custom made wood paddle in duct tape.
• A boat that can successfully hold three or four people in your group