1. Physics Wheeled and levitating vehicles STEM Box Challenge Launch, 22.10.13 Dr Stephen Gibson, Lecturer in Physics

2. Physics challenge overview: Phase one, Wheeled Vehicles -Farthest distance travelled. -Fastest vehicle over a set distance. -Fattest (heaviest) load pulled over a set distance. 2 Challenge your students: » Using only the items in the box and your ingenuity, design a self- powered, wheeled vehicle that is powered by an elastic band or a balloon. » Experimentally test which power source to choose and optimise the vehicle differently to compete in three challenges:

3. Physics challenge overview: Phase one, Wheeled Vehicles Mechanical piece for vehicle construction: 4 wheels, chassis pieces,/ straws. axles, bearings. Power sources; elastic bands of different strengths / sizes, including spares; balloons + straws. Small weights for testing elastic band extension. Document showing outline of vehicle construction Worksheet with ideas for experiment test and vehicle optimisation 3 Whats in the box? » Box include the essentials to construct your vehicles:

4. Physics challenge overview: Phase one, Wheeled Vehicles 4 Some vehicle ideas: » The design is up to your students, but must use one of the power sources provided. » The challenge is how to optimize the design for the three different tasks: » Think about vehicle mass, acceleration, stored energy, speed of release…

5. Physics challenge overview: Phase II, compete at RHUL + levitation! 5 » On completing the challenges at your school, enter your vehicle in a summer competition at Royal Holloway, University of London. » In the final challenge, make your vehicles levitate with a little help from our liquid nitrogen cooled superconductors and watch it take off and soar along a magnetic track.

6. Curriculum links 6 stored (potential) energy in the elastic band or balloon and conversion of energy to other forms (kinetic + heat). kinematics: time, distance, speed and acceleration. forces, motion and reducing friction. » Students learning outcomes are linked to the most recent Key Stage 3 curriculum: » Aim to bring the concepts to life through the practical demonstrations! » No knowledge of superconductors is needed…

7. Added value: 7 » Royal Holloway will support your school with two contact/interface sessions: Interface 1: Initial skype meeting with teacher / pupils regarding the wheeled vehicle challenges in the competition. Explain challenge and give pointers on optimising the models for the three challenges. Interface 2: School visit to include demonstration with liquid nitrogen, to test static levitation with a short test track.

8. Added value: 8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJV5PSpYPL0#t=183 » Superconducting / low temperature technology support through Royal Holloway Physics Department: Superconductors manufactured via the crystal growth facility in the RHUL Physics. Diamagnetic (pyrolytic graphite) can be used for static levitation demonstration. Well also provide a magnetically levitating racetrack for the competition at RHUL. A glimpse of whats possible:

9. Questions?