preview

Preliminary Car Observations

Decent Essays

Discussion
Discuss results and observations from the preliminary tests.
The observations and results from the preliminary tests shows how the car achieved poorly. It achieved average in the first two trials, scoring 3.2 and 3.7 metres. However, the last 4 trials were atrocious, all below 1 metre. Giving the average a pitiful 2.76 metres. This is mainly because the car wheels weren't stabilised properly, which caused the wheels to lose energy faster. This is because the wheels are wasting energy wobbling side to side, instead of just going straight ahead. This also caused the car to run into the wall repeatedly. Which cut into the distance even more. On two occasions the car rolled sideways of the ramp, because of the severity of the wheel shaking. …show more content…

The car, being above the ground, has gravitational potential energy. Which, when placed on the ramp, transforms into kinetic energy. This kinetic energy pushes the car down the ramp, towards the ground and the momentum carries the car forward. The wheels allow it to gain more distance, as using wheels is the most effective way of transporting something. Having only 3 groups of wheels reduces friction compared to having 4 groups of wheels. Another factor is the balloon. As the air being pushed out the balloon creates a force pushing it forward. These factors help the car achieve the distance it reached.
5. Compare the results of the tests complete with both cars.
The tests results for the two cars were incredibly different. As the results of the second car was a lot better than the first one. The lowest score for the first car was only 0.8 metres compared to the remodelled car's 4.7 metres, almost 4 metres further. The furthest the first car made was 3.7 metres whereas the remodelled car achieved 7.2 metres, 3.5 metres further. With the average of the first car being only 2.76 metres and the remodelled car achieving 5.78 metres. This shows that the balloon improved the distance by a massive 3 metres. The remodelled car achieved a much further distance than the original car.
6. Propose future modifications and/or

Get Access