Engineering a Gatorade Gravity Machine
Three teammates work together to build the structure of their Gatorade machine.Copyright Tierney Harvey
Students use rapid prototyping materials to build a self-supporting structure that uses gravity to allow water to flow through the structure, into two different Gatorade powders, and end in a final cup. They will learn about water flow and strong structures. They will also apply the engineering design process for this project.
Mechanical and structural engineers focus on controlling how fluids such as water flow through systems and ensure the machine or structure can support its own weight. Mechanical engineers design machines, like the Gatorade machine you are building, that use gravity to move water and ensure the liquid flows smoothly through different parts of the system. They focus on how water moves and mixes with other ingredients. Structural engineers make sure the overall design is strong enough to hold all of the components and function properly.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe the flow of water through a system (pipe or earth system) and the effects of gravity on water distribution systems.
- Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.
- Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.
- Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design problem.