Before you begin the Hopper Race, make sure you understand these important words and ideas:
Word What It Means
Prototype A first version of a design that you build and test.
Iteration Making changes to your design, testing it, and trying again to make it better.
Motor A device that turns electrical energy into movement.
Force A push or pull that can change an object's movement.
Friction A force that happens when two surfaces rub against each other and can slow movement down.
Distance How far your hopper travels.
Speed How quickly your hopper moves.
Variable Something you can change in your design or program.
Program A set of instructions that tells your SPIKE robot what to do.
Debug Finding and fixing a problem in your program or design.
Gears Wheels with teeth that work together to transfer movement and can change speed or force.
Balance Having weight distributed so your hopper can move without easily tipping over.
Your first design probably won't be your best design!
Engineers build → test → observe → change → test again.
Small changes can make a BIG difference.
Changing the speed of your motor can affect how your hopper moves.
The way your hopper is built and balanced can affect its performance.
Friction can help or hurt your design.
Don't just change something randomly—think about why you're changing it.
Your team's job is to solve the problem, not build the exact same robot as everyone else.
How can you design and program your hopper to move as far as possible while staying in control?