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Parts needed:

  • Flashlight

  • 2 models

  • 2 Batteries, C

  • Wires

  • Motor

  • Paper clips

  • Brass fasteners

  • 1 Baseboard, a 2x4 about 8”

  • 1 3 tongue depressors

  • 1 Corks, 2 or 3

  • PVC, ½” 4 short segments

  • Pencil, or ¼” dowel, sharpened at one end

  • 2 Binder clip

Extra Tools: 

  • Black tape

  • Wire strippers

  • Drill, 15/64” bit

Project Description:

This is a vertical example of the transmission used in the Transmission Car project.  If you put a dowel directly onto the shaft of the motor, it would not work as well, because the motor is too fast and weak.  The transmission slows the rotation down, and the motor is able to give more force, or torque.  The larger the wheel on the stick, the slower it goes and the more torque it can give.  Connect straight to the shaft and you get some serious speed, but very little torque.  So, you don’t get something for nothing.  Here the trade off is speed vs. torque. 

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Concepts:

  1. The batteries provide the energy for this project, and the motor the force. 

  2. The transmission slows the spinning motion down by moving onto a larger shaft.

  3. When the spinning slows down, it also gets stronger. 

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Questions:

  1. What would happen if you put more batteries in the circuit?

  2. What would happen if you connected the first rotating stick to another rotating stick with a rubber band?

  3. What if you put something very heavy on top of the stick? 

  4. How could you make the stick spin the other direction without changing the direction of the motor? 

© 2019 by Pernille Dahl & Cole Robbins. 

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