Sunday, March 8, 2009

Well, we've made our first car, by following Idea No. 004. For the wheels, we've used Styrofoam and made it as close to a circle by wrapping it in tape.
I've ran three trials but sadly none of these trials were successful. The first time I tried out the car, it didn't move at all. So, I took our the balloon that contained the straw. The car moved this time but it only travelled a distance of 0.61m. The air in the balloon secreted too fast causing the car to only travel a short distance. On the third trial, i replaced this balloon with the one with the straw inside of it. This time the car travelled a bit further at 1.25m. I think this was because I didn't blow up the balloon big enough since it popped before.
We are still trying to fix up the car, but not to woory (: we are almost done.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Idea No. 004


Well, here is our fourth idea.
It is just a revised version of our third idea.
Well, this idea will consist of two balloons. One being larger than the other. In the diagram, as you can see, the bottom balloon (being the smaller one) is the balloon that will make our car travel really fast since no straw is added. The top balloon (being the larger one) has a straw, within the balloon. This balloon will ensure that our car travel a greater distance. Some may say that two or more balloons almost seem to always fail, but this design will try to prove them wrong.
Also, instead of the wheels just moving, we have decided to add BBQ stick (which are attached to the wheels) within the straw so that the wheels and the axels will move at a coordinated time.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Idea No. 003 Dynamite

Here is a picture of our third idea, for sure we will start making prototypes tomorrow after school. We still have to purchase the materials for our cars. Well, I call this idea 'Dynamite' because it looks like a stick of dynamite. This design differs from the other two it isn't in the shape of a triangle. Well, this design consists of a cone that will probably be made up of a bristol board and the body may be made up of a toilet papaer roll.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Idea No. 002

Here is our second idea, we couldn't think of a name for this car. Anyways, for this car we would be using cardboard for the body of the car and the fin, probably a 1' diameter dowel for the wheels, and 1/4' diameter dowels to connect the wheels and the rod that will hold up the balloon. The structure of this car is the same as the first, but instead we've enlarged the fin so that the wind wouldn;t slow it down. Also, we've shrunken the body of the car. Now it is almost flat.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Idea No. 001 The Cheese Mobile

Well this is our first idea of how our car would look like. We call this car the Cheese Mobile just because it looks like a chunk of cheese. Well this model is made up of Bristol board, a straw, 1/4' diameter dowels and we are still thinking about materials for the wheels. Most likely it may be made up of wood (i.e., a 1' diameter dowel). The shape of this car is the way it is because of the aerodynamics. We noticed how many cars out on the road are all shaped a specific way. We did some research and found out that the shape of the car helps break through the barrier of the wind causing it to travel at a faster rate. The fin also helps the car travel faster. Hopefully when we build this car, it will travel the desired distance of 5m (hoping it is more).

Monday, February 2, 2009

Baut-Ann Productions

So, I've completed the first task on my To Do List, I've created a blog. It's really empty at the moment but I know that by the end of the project it will be really colourful (:
Well, our group name is Baut-Ann Productions. Hahaha... Baut-Ann, Button ! Get it ?! ;D I was thinking about buttons before I decided our group name. I know, I'm random.
So now, James and I will start our brainstorming. We'll post up pictures of our possible prototypes ASAP.
I guess that's all for today, I don't have much more to say but we'll keep you updated.

To Do List

  1. Create a blog [w/ an AWESOME name]
  2. Brainstorm ideas on how our car should look
  3. Put our ideas into action [time to build]
  4. Test the prototypes, hoping it would travel a minimum distance of 5m
  5. Revise our ideas if it does not work
  6. Try to make the car travel 5m as well as it driving under 20 sec.
  7. Complete our booklet [containing our step-by-step process on the production of our car and observations]
  8. Bring our COOL car on race day