Speed

Key Objectives

In this project, you will:
• Explore the features of a race car.
• Create and program a race car to investigate what factors would increase its speed.
• Document and present ways to make your car go the fastest.

speed-project-image

1. Explore phase

Max and Mia have noticed that race cars have changed in many ways since they were first invented.

They wish to investigate how a car can go faster.

speed-thumbnail

Explore Max's and Mia's questions:

  1. In what ways have cars been improved to enable them to travel at higher speeds?
  2. What factors influence the time it takes a car to travel a set distance?

Share your ideas using the Documentation tool.

explore

2. Create phase

Use the bricks:
Build a race car that can move forward and stop at the finish line.

race-car-thumbnail
race-car-instructions-preview
VIEW BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS

Connect your Smarthub
Turn on the Smarthub and connect it to your device. Watch the video if you need help.

Refer to the Help panel for more guidance.

Program your model
Program your race car to move forward over a distance of 2 meters or more

race-car-program

Investigate with Max and Mia:
Set the motor power level to 10.

  1. Run the program with the small wheels, and repeat three times.
    Document your test.
  2. Change to the big wheels, repeat step 1.
  3. Predict how much time it will take for the car to travel twice the distance with the small and big wheels.
    Document your predictions.
  4. Test your prediction with the small and big wheels.
    Document your findings.
race-car

Investigate more:

  1. Run the program on motor power 5 using the big wheels and pulley configuration A. Repeat three times.
    Document your findings.
  2. Change to pulley configuration B, and repeat step 1.
  3. Find other factors that influence the speed of the car.
    Document how these findings compare to those of your previous investigation.
pulley-configurations

3. Share phase

Finalise your document:

  1. Review your prediction, and explain what happened in this investigation.
  2. Organise your information to share with others.
  3. Insert important text, pictures, screenshots or videos into your project.
photograph

Share your findings:
Based on your investigations, present in your own words what factors make a car go faster.

share