Yr 9 D&T

The Great Egg Race

Solving problems in high tech situations begins by scientists and designers using models to prove the feasibility of their ideas. Rescuing fallen components in a nuclear reactor, or traversing the surface of Mars by remote means, required much simple development work at the beginning.

This project requires you to imagine that you are in a serious situation at the North Pole. You are exploring and have begun to traverse a vast ice flow. You come across an object which you suspect to be an explosive device inadvertently left by a foreign military expedition. There is a very real danger that this device could explode at any time and thus needs to be transported as far away from you as possible by remote, and very careful means. Otherwise you just might finish up in the sea.

Your challenge is to construct a vehicle which will transport such a device (simulated by an egg), over a flat surface for the greatest distance possible. Below are some constraints to help guide your thinking.

You will be supplied with an egg, as shown above, which will simulate the explosive device.

There is a deadline of seven weeks from the start of this challenge.

Your vehicle must be constructed from common materials mostly found in the Department.

The cost must be kept to a minimum.

The vehicle must be self propelled.

There must be a well presented drawing of your idea to aid discussion before commencing manufacture, and the idea discussed with your teacher.

The size must be kept to a minimum.

No motors or external power sources to be used.

Tips

Research simple power methods

Look at velocity ratio!

G. Sagar Jan 2001