Energy Storage Derby and Proposal

Alternative energy sources, particularly within the realm of transportation, have become a hot topic within the scientific and engineering communities. It seems that everyone would like to have available vehicles that provide safe, efficient and reliable methods of capturing a form of energy and transferring it to kinetic energy. Currently available methods are gas-electric hybrids, gas-hydraulic fluid hybrids, electric, and compressed gas. Throughout the unit, students apply the scientific concepts they learn to the real-world problem of designing and implementing energy sources for transportation.

After this activity, students should be able to:

• Apply the law of conservation of energy physical problems in one dimension.
• Describe the engineering design process.

Students should be familari with the concepts of Hooke's law and the conservation of energy.

Remember back to the first lesson from this unit when I said that you would be building your our hybrid cars for Nissan? Now that we have learned about the different types of energy, and how they are converted and conserved, and we have learned a little more about hybrid cars, you are better equipped to design your own cars! Let's do it.

Divide the class into groups of three or four students each.

Overview: Each group will design, build, and present a proposal for a vehicle energy-storage mechanism that translates stored energy into forward motion. Any type of potential energy is acceptable for the proposal except chemical, nuclear and RC (remote controlled). All energy sources and peripherals must be on board the vehicle.

Engineering requirements: Your prototype small-scaled vehicles must be able to carry 250 g (2 rolls of pennies) a length of 5 meters. You will be graded based on the distance traveled, how close to the target you stop, how quickly you can carry the 250 g mass 5 meters (power), and your team presentation (3-5 minutes, must include performance graphs).

Refer to the steps of the engineering design process to guide you in your groups when you are designing and testing your vehicles:

1. Ask to identify needs and constraints.
2. Research the problem.
3. Imagine possible solutions.
4. Plan by selecting the best solution.
5. Create a prototype.
6. Test the design.
7. Improve the design.

The steps of the engineering design process.CopyrightCopyright TeachEngineering.org. All rights reserved.

The problem has been defined for them in this activity, and they have spent this unit researching the problem. Now, it's time to begin by imagining solutions. Students communicate their designs through their vehicle performance, presentations and brochures.

Encourage the students to think of the best way to convert potential energy to kinetic energy with the materials available. As you float around the room, ask students to explain their thought process and how they are using the engineering design process to create their prototypes. 

Rubric: This open-ended, design-based activity incorporates engineering design concepts as well as marketing concepts. For grading, refer to the attached example rubric, modifying it for what is important to the teacher. Give students the rubric at the start of the activity.

Formal/Informal: Incorporate both formal and informal assessment methods. Take into account vehicle performance during the derby. Consider students' ability to answer questions posed by the teacher regarding the performance and cost during the proposal stage. Informal questioning gives students a chance to apply and exhibit their understanding of the objectives and concepts in ways other than tests and quizzes.

Brochures: As an additional assessment, require groups to create brochures that include performance data and cost analyses as part of their presentations.