Alternative Energy Vehicle

Our Building process

At the start of the project, our group and I created a rough prototype using our computers. While doing so, we figured out the wheels we wanted to use, type of axle, and the spring energy, which was the rubber band.  After finalizing our prototype, we started building our final machine. We had lots of trial and error, which included: Using 1 rubber band instead of 2, not having a screw be connected to the axle, and creating a place for the pennies to rest. After making all of those changes to the car, we were able to figure out how much the rubber band needed to be stretched for our vehicle to go 5 meters. 

Content

Spring Potential energy: The energy stored within a spring. The spring potential energy in our car is from a rubber band. The rubber band is wrapped around our axle 5 times before releasing.

Gravitational Potential energy: Gravitational potential energy is energy when an object is on top of a slope. Our car would have potential energy if it was on top of a ramp

Kinetic Energy: Kinetic energy is energy when an object is moving. our car had potential energy when the rubber band starts to unravel.

 Thermal Energy: Thermal energy is energy lost to heat. Since no energy that is created is never destroyed, the car slows down and stops due to thermal energy.

Distance vs time: Distance vs time is how far an object travles, in a certain amount of time. For example, our car moves 5 meters(distance) in 7 seconds(time)

Velocity vs time: Velocity vs time is how fast an object goes in a certain amount of time. Our car had the velocity of 1.15 m/s between 1 and 1.25 meters

 Rotational Inertia:  Rotational  inertia  is  momentum heald within an object that can spin. Our car has rotational inertia from our wooden axle and our wheels.

Reflection

Two things that I thought I did well on is my critical thinking and my collaboration. My critical thinking throughout this project was good because we had to over come many obsticles that the car brought. For example, we had to fix many things to make the car go 5 meters. I also thought that my collaboration was good because I put forward many ideas to the group, in the process of creating the vehicle.

Two things that I want to improve on is my character and communication. I belive I need to improve on two because sometimes during these group projects, the productivity of my group members are not up to my standards, and often get upset. This project was definitely my best character and communication, but I still belive I need to work on it.