How would you create a device that would travel as far as possible when released from a 1 metre high ramp?

Question

My Physics teacher has 'blessed' us with this aerodynamic practical... and my work group is stumped.

AIM: To create a device that will trael as far as possible when relesed from a 1 metre high ramp at a 45 degree angle.

APPARATUS:
Cardboard
Paper
Scissors
Glue/stickytape
glitter
streamers
feathers
plastic drinking straws
wooden skewers.

The whole idea of this prac is for the device to travel as far as possible after it leaves the 1 metre ramp.

We have thought of some possible ways. If we made a ball out of paper, and glued glitter to the outide, the ball would have traction due to the glitter. Also, we thought of placing a piece of cardboard down the bottom of the ramp so the device has a smooth surface to go over at the end of the ramp.

Please help as this has really got me and my science group stuck! Thanks!

My Physics teacher has 'blessed' us with this aerodynamic practical... and my work group is stumped.

AIM: To create a device that will travel as far as possible when released from a 1 metre high ramp at a 45 degree angle.

APPARATUS:
Cardboard
Paper
Scissors
Glue/stickytape
glitter
streamers
feathers
plastic drinking straws
wooden skewers.

The whole idea of this prac is for the device to travel as far as possible after it leaves the 1 metre ramp.

We have thought of some possible ways. If we made a ball out of paper, and glued glitter to the outide, the ball would have traction due to the glitter. Also, we thought of placing a piece of cardboard down the bottom of the ramp so the device has a smooth surface to go over at the end of the ramp.

Please help as this has really got me and my science group stuck! Thanks!

Answer 1

A heavier object with a smoother surface will gather more momentum than a lighter object with a bumpy surface.

I would create a solid paper-mache ball by ripping the paper into strips and diluting the glue with enough water to create a solid ball of dried glued paper. Make it as dense as you can, and try to make the surface as evently spherical as possible, and as smooth as possible (perhaps with tape?). In other words, try to make something like a big ball-bearing. All the materials such as streamers, glitter and feathers add drag to a moving object, so avoid them at all costs. Your little heavy cannon-ball should pick up the most speed compared to any other structure.

Answer 2

I would think the ramp should be covered with glitter so to reduce friction and the object must either be of hard solid rubber to bounce or leave the ground entirely to avoid all but air friction. Therefore, the feathers and skewers should be considered to make like a bird of the object so as to posssibly float or fly when it leaves the bottom of the ramp.

Answer 3

The key to getting distance is weight the heavier the better. I would make as big a ring as possible from the cardboard and attach as much weight as possible to the inside of the ring. Be careful not to get anything sticky on the outside and forget about glitter, feathers or streamers.

Answer 4

Cut two big wheels from the cardboard and use a skewer as an axle to connect them. Be precise; the rounder and more perfectly matched the wheels are, the further and straighter they will travel.

Answer 5

But how does the propulsion work?

Are you pushing it up the ramp?
Or are you letting it slide down one ramp and up another?
Or is there a slingshot at work?