Year 8 Technology Assignment

Rubber band car racer

Student name:……………………………

Due date:…………………………………..

Teacher:…………………………………….
 Design Analysis:
Design brief: State the problem. (1 mark)
The problem with my rubber band car racer was that the tires kept coming off. Another
problem was that the glue wouldn’t stick to the car, and it caused us to put glue again and
again.
Factors that influence design: (2 marks)
1.Materials: The paddle pop sticks are thin and can break. The tires are circular and have a
curved surface.
2.Functionality: The car may need to have a certain level of tension in the rubber band to
move forward.
Constraints: List at least 4 factors that would restrict the project. (2 marks)
1.Length of rubber band: The length of the rubber band restricts the car’s speed. A
shorter rubber band will provide less energy and the car will move slower.
2.Friction: Friction plays a vital role in the car’s movement. The surface of the track and
wheels material can impact friction.
3.Weight: A heavier car will require more energy to move, which will slow it down.
Therefore, it is important to balance the weight of the car with its speed balance.
4.Aerodynamics: A poorly designed car can create drag, which will slow it down.
Therefore, it is essential to create an aerodynamic design that minimizes drag and
maximizes speed.

Criteria for success: State the qualities that will ensure that the RB racer is successful. A
minimum of 4 criteria is required. (2 marks)

Efficiency: The rubber band car should be designed to convert potential energy stored in the
rubber band into kinetic energy as efficiently as possible.
Durability: The rubber band car should be durable enough to withstand the rigors of racing,
such as collisions and rough terrain.
Traction: The rubber band car should have enough traction to maintain contact with the
track and not slip and slide during races.
Innovation: To stand out from other cars, it is important to incorporate innovative designs
and features.
Investigating (Research):
Design of wheels: (2 marks)
 What effect will the wheel diameter have on performance?
 What materials can be used for the wheels?
Design wheels:
The diameter of the wheels on a rubber band car racer can have a significant effect on its
performance. Larger wheels will allow the car to travel further with each rotation, leading
to faster speeds and longer distances. However, larger wheels also require more torque to
turn. Smaller wheels make it easier to get the car moving and there is less torque.
In terms of materials, the wheels on a rubber band car racer can be made from a variety of
materials, including plastic rubber and even wood. Plastic wheels may be lightweight and
durable but will not provide as much traction as rubber wheels. Wooden wheels can
provide excellent traction but may be heavier and more prone to damage.

Materials: (2 marks)
 What materials are available that can be used to make the RB racer?
Paddle pop sticks, skewers, straws, bottle caps and hot glue gun
 Are these materials easily accessible?
Yes, these materials are easily accessible..

Rubber band racer designs: (6 marks)

 Research 3 designs and discuss positives and negatives of each design.

Images of the Car Rubber Positives Negatives

band Races
 Easy to assemble
with common
household items.
 Low cost and
minimalistic.
 Suitable for
younger students.
 Limited speed and
distance potential.
 Limited design
versatility.
 Less durable than
other designs.

 Durable design.  Requires more

 Can achieve high materials than the
speed. simple axle design.
 Can be modified  Assembly is slightly
with different more complicated.
materials.  Not as versatile as
other designs.

 Can be built with  Requires more

common materials than
household the simple axle
materials.
design.
 Provides more
versatility in
 Assembly is
design. more
  Can achieve a complicated than
higher speed and the simple axle
distance potential design.
than the other two
 Not as durable
designs.
as the CD wheel
design.

Energy and Power: (4 marks)

 Does the RB racer need a high torque (power) off the starting line? Why or why
not?
Yes, because if you wind it enough it can go faster and faster.
 What type of energy will propel your racer?
The type of energy that will propel a rubber band car racer is mechanical
energy. When the rubber band is twisted and released, it will convert its
potential energy into kinetic energy, which will be transferred to the wheels of
the car, causing them to rotate and move the car forward. As the rubber band
unwinds, its stored potential energy is transformed into kinetic energy, which is
then transferred to the car's wheels through the axle and gears, propelling the
car forward.
 Where is this energy derived from?
The energy in a rubber band car is derived from the potential energy stored in
the stretched rubber band. When the rubber band is stretched, work is done
on it to overcome its internal forces of attraction between the polymer chains
that make up the rubber band. This work done on the rubber band results in
potential energy being stored in the stretched rubber band.
 Are there any changes or transformations? If yes, describe them.

Yes, there are changes and transformations of energy that occur in a rubber band car
racer as it moves.
When the rubber band is twisted and released, the potential energy stored in the
stretched rubber band is converted into kinetic energy as the rubber band contracts
and pulls the axle and wheels. This kinetic energy causes the wheels to turn and the
car to move forward.

Brainstorm (Idea generation):

Sketch 2 design ideas for the rubber band racer: develop and sketch design ideas using a
pencil and ruler to draw full-scale designs including top and front projected views.
(4 marks)
Top view sketch:
Front View sketch:
Use CAD/Tinkercad/SketchUp software to develop and model the above two design
ideas. Include screenshots of your design progress in your portfolio (if you do not have
access to software/hardware you may include pictures of detailed sketches of your RB
racer using a pencil and paper. This should include dimensions and materials to be
used). (4 marks)
Sketch 1:
Sketch 2:
Choosing the best idea:
 Reason for choice: (2 marks)
Simplicity: A rubber band car racer is a simple and straightforward design that can
 be built with common household materials.
Cost-effectiveness: Since the materials for building it are so simple, the cost of the
materials would us be a few dollars.
 Detailed sketch of the design reflects reasons for the decision: (2 marks)
I enjoyed building an experimenting with different types of models as a hobby. A
rubber band car can be a great way to be taught about science and engineering.
 Final sketch

Production: Timeline - include the date and steps in production. (2 marks)

Test and Evaluate
 Test the rubber band racer: (3 marks)

Distance travelled (meters) Time Travelled (seconds)

Test 1

Test 2

Test 3

Average

 Evaluate: (2 marks)
a. Did you succeed in creating a rubber band racer that travelled a minimum distance
of 1 meter? If so, how far did it travel? If not, why did it fail?
 It failed the first time because I did not wind it enough. When I winded it a bit more I
got a very good result as I went 1 metre.
b. If you had to do it all over again, how would your planned design change? Why?
I would make it a bit more complex so that I learn about engineering a bit more and
learn how to build things.

Part B: Project Work: 15 marks

Your final project should satisfy the following:
 RB racer satisfies the design brief (instructions are on the top of page 2). (10
marks)
It satisfies the design brief.
 Proof of construction of rubber band racer (in different stages of construction –
using images showing various stages of construction). You will be completing the
construction of the RB racer in school. (5 marks)

We just put the paddle pop sticks

We put the glue.

We put the wheels.

We put the skewers to wind the car.