By: Lucas Beecham, Garrett Smith, Julie Wright, and Jake Storey How to Turn on a Light By: Lucas Beecham, Garrett Smith, Julie Wright, and Jake Storey

Everything-and-the Kitchen-Sink Team

Our Machine

The Beginning Mixed vinegar and baking soda. Reaction creates gas to inflate balloon. The balloon tips the ramp.

The Physics Behind the Beginning Reaction in the bottle releases stored chemical energy. The ramp is in equilibrium until balloon makes contact.

Tipping the Bottles The balls roll off the tipped ramp into weighted cup. This force causes the bottles on the binder to tip and spill into the trough.

The Physics Behind Tipping the Bottles The system is initially in equilibrium Balls drop down into cup creating a force on the string. The pulley redirects the force to create a net torque.

Floating and Firing The water flows into a basin with a float in it. The float rises as the water level increases. It pulls a string which pulls the trigger on a paintball gun. The gun fires an air blast which pushes a car.

The Physics Behind Floating and Firing A buoyancy force causes the bottle to float. The compressed air contains potential energy that is converted to kinetic energy upon expansion.

Racing Under the Lights The car goes down a track and completes the circuit. This turns the light on.

The Physics Behind Racing Under the Lights The conservation of momentum between air particles and the car. Mercury in switch responds to angle of elevation in the ramp.