Engineer It! at home

Down the Zipline

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Can you design a cart that can carry a metal spoon down a zipline?

Suggested Materials: 

  • Fishing line or smooth thread*
  • Paper clips (4)
  • Binder clips (2)
  • 3”x5” notecard or 1 piece of paper
  • Metal spoon

*Build the zipline by tying string between two objects of different heights, like the top of the back of a chair and the lowest handle on a cabinet. Make sure the zipline is at least one meter long.

STEM Concepts: You’ll need to make sure that the spoon is able to balance and that there is not too much friction between the zipline and your cart – friction slows objects down! 

Extensions: Can you create a cart that carries the spoon on top of the zipline? What happens if you change the orientation of the spoon? What else can you send down your zipline?

THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

Define the Challenge: Design a cart that will move a metal spoon safely down a zipline.

Plan Your Design: With the materials you have, what would you like to try? What sort of tool would be helpful? 

Create a Prototype: A prototype is like a first try – see if you can build what you imagined. 

Test Your Creation: Does your creation balance on the line? Does the spoon stay attached? How fast does it go? If it didn’t do what you expected, what happened? 

Improve Your Design: What could you change to make your design even better? Are there other materials that could help?