Analyzing the Motion and Design of a Propeller-Driven Vehicle

1. Lesson Twelve: Analyzing the Motion and Design of a Propeller-Driven Vehicle

2. Think and Wonder You have built a propeller-driven vehicle and made some observation about it. Now it’s time to analyze the vehicle’s features. How could you change the design of your vehicle without affecting its performance? What causes the propeller to spin? How does the propeller help the vehicle move? You will investigate these ideas in this lesson. 0

3. Link to LRB Materials Manager, please distribute Record Sheet 12-A: What Happens If. . . There are two pages. All team members glue this into your LRB. You will be analyzing several design features of your propeller-driven vehicle. 0

4. What happens if. . . (page one) . . . you wind the propeller 30 times quickly? What happens if you wind it 30 times slowly? How does the vehicle move each time? . . . you wind the propeller clockwise 30 times? What happens if you wind it counterclockwise 30 times? How does the vehicle move each time? . . . you turn the vehicle around so the propeller is on the back of the vehicle? . . . you change the position of the rubber band so it is attached at an angle? . . . you add tires to the propeller-driven vehicle? 0

5. What happens if. . . (page two) . . . you move the vehicle on a different surface, such as carpet or vinyl? . . . you place the propeller lower on the vehicle? (Modify the vehicle so the propeller is closer to the ground.) . . . you use four connected rubber bands instead of three? (Attach another rubber band to the three connected ones and then test the vehicle.) . . . you use two parallel sets of rubber bands on the vehicle? (put two sets of three connected rubber bands, side-by-side, on the vehicle. Now test the vehicle.) Now write and test one of your own questions. What happens if. . . 0

6. Link to LRB Record Sheet 12-A: What Happens If. . . Cont. Complete the “What if . . . “ questions in any order you choose. Remove pieces and modify your vehicle as needed for each “What if. . .” question, but return your vehicle to its original form after each test. Although you are only asked to complete three questions, do as many as you can in the time given. Try to come up with your own “What if . . .” question and test it. 0 o

7. Link to LRB Materials Manager, Your vehicle Bucket of building pieces Extra set of connected rubber bands Individual rubber bands (only for the last two “What if’s. . .) Return these rubber bands as soon as you are finished with them so others can use them. 0

8. Work Time! 0

9. Link to LRB Final Activities: Let’s share the observations you recorded on the record sheet. Anyone want to demonstrate some of their results?0

10. Link to LRB Final Activities, cont. Remember in Lesson 11 when we compared the design and motion of the propeller-driven vehicles with vehicles build in previous lessons? Record the answers to the following questions in your LRB. 1. What caused the propeller-driven vehicle to move? 2. What happened to the rubber band as you wound the propeller? 3. Think back to previous lessons. What caused the axle-driven vehicle to move? 4. In what ways is the rubber band used differently in this lesson? In what ways is it used in the same way? 5. How is air involved in moving the propeller- driven vehicle?0

11. Link to LRB Final Activities, cont. Look at your brainstorming list from Lesson 11. “Design Ideas for Propeller-Driven Vehicles.” Can you add to or change anything on the list. Which questions on Record Sheet 12-A: What Happens If. . . support your ideas? 0

12. Clean up time! Materials Manager: • Label your vehicle. • Return all materials to the distribution centers. 0

13. Link to LRB Update your Table of Contents 0