rube goldberg machines

Rube Goldberg MachinesRube Goldberg MachinesSteve Case

University of MississippiNSF NMGK-8January 2006

Steve CaseUniversity of Mississippi

NSF NMGK-8January 2006

NSF North Mississippi GK8NSF North Mississippi GK8

Rube GoldbergRube Goldberg• Reuben Lucius Goldberg• 1883-1970• Born in San Francisco• Graduated with

engineering degree from University of California Berkeley

• Worked as an engineer for City of San Francisco Water and Sewer Department

• Reuben Lucius Goldberg• 1883-1970• Born in San Francisco• Graduated with

engineering degree from University of California Berkeley

• Worked as an engineer for City of San Francisco Water and Sewer Department


Rube GoldbergRube Goldberg• Convinced his father he

wanted to work as an artist

• Got a job as an office boy in sports department of a San Francisco newspaper

• Kept submitting cartoons until he was published

• Moved to New York to draw daily cartoons for Evening Mail

• Convinced his father he wanted to work as an artist

• Got a job as an office boy in sports department of a San Francisco newspaper

• Kept submitting cartoons until he was published

• Moved to New York to draw daily cartoons for Evening Mail


Rube GoldbergRube Goldberg

• Founding member of National Cartoonist Society

• Pulitzer Prize winner• National figure, often-

quoted television and radio personality

• 60-year career

• Founding member of National Cartoonist Society

• Pulitzer Prize winner• National figure, often-

quoted television and radio personality

• 60-year career


Rube Goldberg’s “INVENTIONS”

Rube Goldberg’s “INVENTIONS”

• Cartoons that symbolized “man’s capacity for exerting maximum effort to accomplish minimal results”

• Cartoons depicted convoluted machines functioning in complex ways to perform simple tasks

• “Rube Goldberg” has become synonymous with any complex system achieving a basic task

• Cartoons that symbolized “man’s capacity for exerting maximum effort to accomplish minimal results”

• Cartoons depicted convoluted machines functioning in complex ways to perform simple tasks

• “Rube Goldberg” has become synonymous with any complex system achieving a basic task


Invention for Opening the Garage Door without Getting out of the Car


So what . . . ?So what . . . ?

• Rube Goldberg machines are examples of complex machines.

• All complex machines are made up of combinations of simple machines.

• Rube Goldberg machines are usually a complicated combination of simple machines.

• By studying the components of Rube Goldberg machines, we learn more about simple machines.

• Rube Goldberg machines are examples of complex machines.

• All complex machines are made up of combinations of simple machines.

• Rube Goldberg machines are usually a complicated combination of simple machines.

• By studying the components of Rube Goldberg machines, we learn more about simple machines.


Simple MachinesSimple Machines

• Have few or no moving parts

• Make work easier• Can be combined to create

complex machines

• Have few or no moving parts

• Make work easier• Can be combined to create

complex machines


LeverLever

• A rigid board or rod free to rotate around a fixed point called a fulcrum

• By varying position of load and fulcrum, load can be lifted or moved with less force

• Trade off: must move lever large distance to move load small distance

• A rigid board or rod free to rotate around a fixed point called a fulcrum

• By varying position of load and fulcrum, load can be lifted or moved with less force

• Trade off: must move lever large distance to move load small distance

2nd and 3rd class lever2nd and 3rd class lever

• http://www.mca.k12.nf.ca/sm/lever/lever.htm

• http://www.mca.k12.nf.ca/sm/lever/lever.htm



Inclined PlaneInclined Plane

• A slope or ramp that goes from a lower to higher level

• Makes work easier by requiring less force to lift something a certain distance

• Trade off: the distance the load must be moved would be greater than simply lifting it straight up

• A slope or ramp that goes from a lower to higher level

• Makes work easier by requiring less force to lift something a certain distance

• Trade off: the distance the load must be moved would be greater than simply lifting it straight up


Wheel and AxleWheel and Axle• A larger circular wheel

affixed to a smaller rigid rod at its center

• Used to translate force across horizontal distances (wheels on a wagon) or to make rotations easier (a doorknob)

• Trade off: the wheel must be rotated through a greater distance than the axle

• A larger circular wheel affixed to a smaller rigid rod at its center

• Used to translate force across horizontal distances (wheels on a wagon) or to make rotations easier (a doorknob)

• Trade off: the wheel must be rotated through a greater distance than the axle


ScrewScrew• An inclined plane

wrapped around a rod or cylinder

• Used to lift materials or bind things together

• Trade off: the screw must be rotated many times to move something a small distance

• An inclined plane wrapped around a rod or cylinder

• Used to lift materials or bind things together

• Trade off: the screw must be rotated many times to move something a small distance


WedgeWedge

• An inclined plane on its side• Used to cut or force material apart• Trade off: the wedge must be moved a large

distance to separate the material a small distance

• An inclined plane on its side• Used to cut or force material apart• Trade off: the wedge must be moved a large

distance to separate the material a small distance


PulleyPulley

• A rope or chain free to turn around a suspended wheel

• By pulling down on the rope, a load can be lifted with less force

• Trade off: no real trade off here; the secret is that the pulley lets you work with gravity so you add the force of your own weight to the rope

• Multiple pulleys reduce the force needed to lift but increase the distance you need to pull

• A rope or chain free to turn around a suspended wheel

• By pulling down on the rope, a load can be lifted with less force

• Trade off: no real trade off here; the secret is that the pulley lets you work with gravity so you add the force of your own weight to the rope

• Multiple pulleys reduce the force needed to lift but increase the distance you need to pull


The trick is WORKThe trick is WORK

• Simple machines change the amount of force needed, but they do not change the amount of work done.

• What is work?• Work equals force times distance• W = F x d

• By increasing the distance, you can decrease the force and still do the same amount of work.

• Simple machines change the amount of force needed, but they do not change the amount of work done.

• What is work?• Work equals force times distance• W = F x d

• By increasing the distance, you can decrease the force and still do the same amount of work.


Examples:Examples:• Lever: • Work is equal on both sides of

a lever. You move the long end a LARGE distance with SMALL force. The other end moves a SMALL distance with a LARGE force, which is why it can lift heavy objects.

• Lever: • Work is equal on both sides of

a lever. You move the long end a LARGE distance with SMALL force. The other end moves a SMALL distance with a LARGE force, which is why it can lift heavy objects.

•Inclined Plane: •It takes a certain amount of work to get the cabinet into the truck. You can either exert a LARGE force to lift it the SMALL distance into the truck, or you can exert a SMALL force to move it a LARGE distance along the ramp.


Invention for Opening the Garage Door without Getting out of the Car


QuickTime™ and aSorenson Video 3 decompressorare needed to see this picture.


SourcesSourcesEdheads. 2005. “Simple Machines.” Accessed January 28, 2006.

<http://edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/sm-glossary.htm#s2>

Fyon, Eric. November 8, 1999. “Professor Beaker’s Learning Labs: What is an Inclined Plane?” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.professorbeaker.com/plane_fact.html>

Mikkelson, Barbara and David P. 2006. “Cog.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.snopes.com/autos/business/hondacog.asp>

Rube Goldberg, Inc. 2006. “Rube Goldberg Machine Contest 2006.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.rube-goldberg.com/html/contest.htm>

Smith, Patrick. 2006. “Vector Park.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.vectorpark.com/Levers.html>

Telegraph Group Limited. 2006. “Lights! Camera! Retake!” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/13/nhonda13.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/04/13/ixhome.html>

Edheads. 2005. “Simple Machines.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://edheads.org/activities/simple-machines/sm-glossary.htm#s2>

Fyon, Eric. November 8, 1999. “Professor Beaker’s Learning Labs: What is an Inclined Plane?” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.professorbeaker.com/plane_fact.html>

Mikkelson, Barbara and David P. 2006. “Cog.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.snopes.com/autos/business/hondacog.asp>

Rube Goldberg, Inc. 2006. “Rube Goldberg Machine Contest 2006.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.rube-goldberg.com/html/contest.htm>

Smith, Patrick. 2006. “Vector Park.” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.vectorpark.com/Levers.html>

Telegraph Group Limited. 2006. “Lights! Camera! Retake!” Accessed January 28, 2006. <http://www.opinion.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/13/nhonda13.xml&sSheet=/news/2003/04/13/ixhome.html>

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