Grouping: Pairs
Take-home: Working air-pressure-powered cart
Key ideas: Air pressure, force, wheel/axle friction, sealing, mechanical linkages.
Start with: Demonstrate a cart moving from a pressure change rather than a motor.
Success check: Cart travels repeatedly under the intended pressure mechanism.
Try changing: Syringe diameter; wheel size; axle friction; hook geometry.
Preparation: Consider skinnier syringes; standardize skewer size; create a build template; revise hook so it cannot spin into the straws.
Lesson flow: Day 1: Build chassis/axles using template → rolling test
Day 2: Add pressure mechanism → test → reduce friction/spinning → distance trial
Video:
Atmospheric Pressure Powered Car
Safety and cleanup: Needle-free syringes only; teacher handles skewers/cutting/hot glue; carts tested in marked lanes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srJG2w9ZbLM
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/edl5paxseKH-atmosphere-carts/edit?returnTo=%2Fdashboard%2Fdesigns%2F3d