RUBE GOLDBERG DEVICE

TECHNICAL REPORT
BLOCK STEM – M1: MW 12:00 – 1:30 pm

Generalao, Frank Benedict Nunez, Ralf Nicole

King, William Joshua Pupos, Kian Jerome

Libradilla, Rasheed Quijano, Khylle

Mendoza, Ralf Adrianne Ursaiz, John Cave

November 27, 2019

 The Task and The Diagram
Chosen Final Task:

The team used a series of marbles rolling down pipes, levers, and toy cars in order to open a cage.

Diagram of the Mechanical Model:

[Insert the diagram of the whole mechanical model here.]

 STEP 1

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

We remove the rock blocking the marble.

Explanation:
𝑚1 𝑚2
The force of the marble exerted on the rock which is from the gravitational force (𝐹 = 𝐺 ). is not enough to overcome the
𝑟2
static friction of the rock (𝐹𝑓 = 𝜇𝑠 𝐹𝑁 ). When we remove the rock blocking the marble, the ball freely rolled since its center of gravity
𝑚1 𝑚2
is tilted far enough already. Additionally, the magnitude of the gravitational force (𝐹 = 𝐺 ) is more than the magnitude of the
𝑟2
static friction between the marble and the tube. Due to this, there is inertia and the marble will start rolling.
 STEP 2

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The marble rolls down the first set of tubes.

Explanation:
𝑚1 𝑚2
Since the force exerted by gravity (𝐹 = 𝐺 ) is greater than the static friction c the marble continues to roll down the tube.
𝑟2
Another concept here is gravity. Since gravity is -9.8 m/s2, then the marble’s velocity continues to decrease or becomes increasingly
negative. This means that the marble’s speed is increasing and the motion is downward. There is also the conservation of energy as the
gravitational potential energy from the original height (GPE = mgh) transforms to kinetic energy (KE = 0.5mv 2), lost as heat or
friction (Ff = μkFN).
 STEP 3

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The marble falls down to the second set of tubes and rolls up and hits a blockade.

Explanation:

The marble falls down to the second set since there is no longer any space for the marble to roll on. Due to air resistance and
the air in general, the marble changed directions and due to the kinetic energy of the marble, it rolled up. The blockade stopped the
marble from rolling any further since the force exerted by the marble was not enough to overcome the static friction of the blockade
𝑚 𝑚
(𝐹 = 𝐺 𝑟1 2 2 ). At this point, the marble’s velocity is zero. However, gravity acts upon the marble, making the marble gain a negative
velocity i.e. increasing speed whilst moving downward.
 STEP 4

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The marble rolls down the second set of tubes.

Explanation:

Since gravity is -9.8 m/s2, then the marble’s velocity continues to decrease or becomes increasingly negative. This means that
the marble’s speed is increasing and the motion is downward. There is also the conservation of energy as the gravitational potential
energy from the original height (GPE = mgh) transforms to kinetic energy (KE = 0.5mv2), or lost as heat or friction (Ff = μkFN). The
energy lost as heat and friction also makes the change of speed less than the value of acceleration due to gravity i.e. 9.8 m/s2.
 STEP 5

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The marble falls down to the second set of tubes and rolls up and hits a blockade.

Explanation:

The marble falls down to the second set since there is no longer any space for the marble to roll on. Due to air resistance and
the air in general, the marble changed directions and due to the kinetic energy of the marble, it rolled up. The blockade stopped the
marble from rolling any further since the force exerted by the marble was not enough to overcome the static friction of the blockade
𝑚 𝑚
(𝐹 = 𝐺 𝑟1 2 2 ). At this point, the marble’s velocity is zero. However, gravity acts upon the marble, making the marble gain a negative
velocity i.e. increasing speed whilst moving downward.
 STEP 6

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The marble rolls down the last set of tubes.

Explanation:

Since gravity is -9.8 m/s2, then the marble’s velocity continues to decrease or becomes increasingly negative. This means that
the marble’s speed is increasing and the motion is downward. There is also the conservation of energy as the gravitational potential
energy from the original height (GPE = mgh) transforms to kinetic energy (KE = 0.5mv2), or lost as heat or friction (Ff = μkFN). The
energy lost as heat and friction also makes the change of speed less than the value of acceleration due to gravity i.e. 9.8 m/s2.
 STEP 7

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The marble falls to the wooden plank, causing it to fall.

Explanation:

The marble ran out of tube to roll on and falls to the wooden plank. The torque caused by the weight of the marble causes
torque (𝜏 = 𝐹 × 𝑙) on the plank, and thus there will be angular momentum. This causes the center of gravity to move and causes the
plank to fall.
 STEP 8

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The rock falls from the plank.

Explanation:

The wooden plank held up the rock. The rock falls since there was no more wooden plank acting as a cantilever. Gravity acts
on the rock, causing it to move and accelerate to the ground.
 STEP 9

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The rock pulls the car through a string.

Explanation:

The force of the rock falling downward causes tension on the string, pulling the toy car. This setup is similar to an Atwood’s
(𝑚1 − 𝑚2 )𝑔 − 𝐹𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐
machine, where acceleration can be calculated through this formula: 𝑎 = (𝑚1 + 𝑚2 )
. Conservation of mechanical energy applies
here since gravitational potential energy transforms to kinetic energy or is lost as heat and friction.
 STEP 10

[Insert drawing/illustration here. Label the materials used in this step.]

Description:

The toy car pulls the cage door open through the string.

Explanation:

The tension exerted by the string on the cage door due to the force of the toy car moving opened the cage door.