1. Advanced Science Night
Rube Goldberg Machines

2. Criteria and constraints
At least three different simple machines
At least seven energy transfers
Have a cohesive theme
Human can only touch the machine once to start it
Constraints
No taller than five feet above the table
No bigger than one foot all the way around the table (the tables are 30” x 70”)
Items can only be from the following categories:
Ten dollars from the school supply store
Ten dollars from an outside source
Ten dollars from the STEM store
Recyclable items
Things from home (upon approval)

3. Example Rube Goldberg Machine Steps: A Toy Story
Remote control is pressed to make truck go
Truck runs into Sheriff Woodie
Sheriff Woodie hits marble
Marble rolls down tube and hits trigger of mousetrap
Mousetrap springs, yanking prop from cup
Cup tips releasing ball
Ball hits four wheeler
Four wheeler rolls into books
Book hits button on robot
Button turns on motor
Motor winds up string attached to chair
Chair falls releasing zip line commando
Commando releases string
String opens umbrella
Source:

4. What is Potential vs. Kinetic Energy?
Potential energy is stored energy while Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. When potential energy is used it is converted into kinetic energy. You can think of potential energy as kinetic energy waiting to happen. 
Your task is to create a Rube Goldberg Machine that contains at least seven different steps where you transfer the potential energy of an object into kinetic energy to complete the simple task of your choice.

5. Your machine needs to utilize at least three simple machines:
Inclined Plane
Wedge
Screw
Lever
Wheel and Axel
Pulley

6. These are the items all teams are given to start out.

7. Rube Goldberg School Supply Store
Item
Quantity
Cost per unit
Total Cost
2 x 4 Wood
1.12
1.5 x 3 Wood
.37
Hinge
2.27
2.47
Screw eye
Twine
2.18
Parachute Cord
2.97
Twisted Mason Line
2.78
Pulley
2.36
Black Foam tube
.59
S hook
1.18 per 3
Brace corner
3.68
PVC ½ inch
23 per foot
PVC 1 inch
40 per foot
PVC Elbow
1.50
PVC T Connector
Total

8. Rube Goldberg stem store
You will be given ten dollars worth of STEM money to purchase additional items from the STEM store. The store will contain finite amounts of useful items. Examples of these are dominoes, wire, marbles, tennis balls, golf balls, twine, tape etc..

10. Click HERE to be taken to my web page with all of the necessary documents on my web site. Click on Advanced Science Night tab.