Hybrid Car Battery
Our goal was to build a prototype of a hybrid car that would run for exactly 5 meters and hold a weight of 500kg (equal to the weight of 100 pennies). Other requirements included, not being allowed to manually drive the car, and not being able to use flammable or any other dangerous chemicals or toxins to run our car. Along with building the prototype car, we had to pitch to Hyundai on why our hybrid car is the best solution to have on the roads, in the future.
We followed the engineer design cycle, and started brainstorming ideas for our car. We did research on different types of hybrid cars to lead us to ideas such as springs, batteries, even crazy propositions such as fans. But we overall decided to use solar panels to absorb the energy to make our car move. We then came up with a name for our car, The Solar Power Flower. After selecting our solution was the actual building of our prototype. Through testing and evaluating our solution, was where we found our issue about solar panels (which is further explained in the reflection section), so we changed our design to become a battery operated car. We also had to change our name to The Hybrid Power Flower. After finishing our prototype, we took calculations and recorded them on a table and from that, we created multiple graphs. In result our car successfully stopped at the required length of 5 meters and we presented our design through posters.
We followed the engineer design cycle, and started brainstorming ideas for our car. We did research on different types of hybrid cars to lead us to ideas such as springs, batteries, even crazy propositions such as fans. But we overall decided to use solar panels to absorb the energy to make our car move. We then came up with a name for our car, The Solar Power Flower. After selecting our solution was the actual building of our prototype. Through testing and evaluating our solution, was where we found our issue about solar panels (which is further explained in the reflection section), so we changed our design to become a battery operated car. We also had to change our name to The Hybrid Power Flower. After finishing our prototype, we took calculations and recorded them on a table and from that, we created multiple graphs. In result our car successfully stopped at the required length of 5 meters and we presented our design through posters.
*The car's energy source comes from the battery and we wrapped a specific amount of string around the axle, so the car with stop at exactly 5 meters.
Content:
All concepts used to construct and design our car are listed as followed. Graphs and tables seen below
1). Potential Energy- is the stored energy of potion possessed by an object. In our case, it was the battery of our car, that contained our potential energy, but in several other cars, they used a spring which held elastic potential energy.
2). Kinetic Energy- different from potential energy (PE), the kinetic energy (KE) of an object is the energy it possesses because of its motion. PE transfers to KE, an example of this is when a baseball is thrown and as the ball moves downward, it speeds up, and the PE changes to KE.
3). Thermal Energy- the energy created from heat. The battery in our car created heat so as the car continued to move the 5 meters, the thermal energy increases. Friction also creates heat, this happens when the wheels of the car rub against the wooden base.
4). Velocity- speed with a given direction. Velocity equals distance/time (V=D/T). As seen on the two graphs below, our car starts with a constant pace, then increasingly speeds up, and then slows down to a stop.
5). Acceleration- increased speed of an object. We graphed calculations for our car, using the formula A= the change in velocity/the change in time. So in result, our car starts with a high acceleration, but eventually slowed to a stop. (graph is not seen below)
All concepts used to construct and design our car are listed as followed. Graphs and tables seen below
1). Potential Energy- is the stored energy of potion possessed by an object. In our case, it was the battery of our car, that contained our potential energy, but in several other cars, they used a spring which held elastic potential energy.
2). Kinetic Energy- different from potential energy (PE), the kinetic energy (KE) of an object is the energy it possesses because of its motion. PE transfers to KE, an example of this is when a baseball is thrown and as the ball moves downward, it speeds up, and the PE changes to KE.
3). Thermal Energy- the energy created from heat. The battery in our car created heat so as the car continued to move the 5 meters, the thermal energy increases. Friction also creates heat, this happens when the wheels of the car rub against the wooden base.
4). Velocity- speed with a given direction. Velocity equals distance/time (V=D/T). As seen on the two graphs below, our car starts with a constant pace, then increasingly speeds up, and then slows down to a stop.
5). Acceleration- increased speed of an object. We graphed calculations for our car, using the formula A= the change in velocity/the change in time. So in result, our car starts with a high acceleration, but eventually slowed to a stop. (graph is not seen below)
Reflection:
During the process of building our hybrid cars, there were many successes and setbacks, but overall it was considered to be an accomplished leaning experience. In my group, one thing that I thought went well was our cooperation. Everyone put in enough work to make this project a combined effort. For example, Bronte brought all the materials needed to assemble the car, Brandon took a major role in the actual construction and testing of our car, and I did the calculations and tables for our project. Something that went poorly was our time management. It took us a large amount of time to get the materials, so as many other groups were already building, we were still waiting for our materials.
The accomplishments and complications are all what make projects a learning experience. I've gained and learned so many new skills about myself and aspects of physics. Such as discovering the importance of leadership and time management. Without leadership, it's very difficult to see how the project is going to develop. Without time management, can result in an unorganized product and creates there to be more opportunities for setbacks.
Some factual knowledge I have come to understand is that batteries aren't efficient for a motor, and simple is better. By comparing all the hybrid cars, it turns out that spring cars were the most efficient because there were less variables that could go wrong, which correlates to why simple is better. One key concept that I think will benefit me greatly in the future, is knowing that change is inevitable and that they will happen constantly throughout projects and throughout life. Our group, late in the project, realized that we had to change our whole design from solar panels to batteries because the solar panels did not respond to the light bulbs and switching to batteries was the quickest solution available. Scientists and engineers are always changing their designs and editing their work before they actually call their product a final product.
From judging my overall performance in the project, I would say that I need to work on my leadership skills by knowing when to step in, and also my patience level. I tend to get very impatient when I feel like my group is behind schedule, so I need to work on staying calm and know that we will finish before the deadline.Throughout any project you do, you are always going to learn something new about the topic and about yourself.
Recap:
Peaks
1). Our car worked the day of the presentation
2). We cooperated well and divided the work equally
Pits
1). Time management, by dealing with days of not doing anything
2). Our lack of planning for our presentation
During the process of building our hybrid cars, there were many successes and setbacks, but overall it was considered to be an accomplished leaning experience. In my group, one thing that I thought went well was our cooperation. Everyone put in enough work to make this project a combined effort. For example, Bronte brought all the materials needed to assemble the car, Brandon took a major role in the actual construction and testing of our car, and I did the calculations and tables for our project. Something that went poorly was our time management. It took us a large amount of time to get the materials, so as many other groups were already building, we were still waiting for our materials.
The accomplishments and complications are all what make projects a learning experience. I've gained and learned so many new skills about myself and aspects of physics. Such as discovering the importance of leadership and time management. Without leadership, it's very difficult to see how the project is going to develop. Without time management, can result in an unorganized product and creates there to be more opportunities for setbacks.
Some factual knowledge I have come to understand is that batteries aren't efficient for a motor, and simple is better. By comparing all the hybrid cars, it turns out that spring cars were the most efficient because there were less variables that could go wrong, which correlates to why simple is better. One key concept that I think will benefit me greatly in the future, is knowing that change is inevitable and that they will happen constantly throughout projects and throughout life. Our group, late in the project, realized that we had to change our whole design from solar panels to batteries because the solar panels did not respond to the light bulbs and switching to batteries was the quickest solution available. Scientists and engineers are always changing their designs and editing their work before they actually call their product a final product.
From judging my overall performance in the project, I would say that I need to work on my leadership skills by knowing when to step in, and also my patience level. I tend to get very impatient when I feel like my group is behind schedule, so I need to work on staying calm and know that we will finish before the deadline.Throughout any project you do, you are always going to learn something new about the topic and about yourself.
Recap:
Peaks
1). Our car worked the day of the presentation
2). We cooperated well and divided the work equally
Pits
1). Time management, by dealing with days of not doing anything
2). Our lack of planning for our presentation