A Human-Powered Vehicle for Trans-Glacial Transport

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Hook
You're out on a glacier with 2,400 miles to traverse before you reach your destination. How are you going to transport all the necessities for survival? Your transport has to be big enough to carry everything you will need out on the ice far away from any source of supplies, but not so heavy that you cannot pull it. Build a vehicle that you can pull with all your belongings safely packed away. Remember this vehicle will be powered by YOU.

Materials
Basic Lego kit, spring scales, brick, "glacial" ice covered area

Procedure
Design and build a light-weight vehicle that will carry a brick(your supplies) while registering the least amount of pound pull on a spring scale as the vehicle is pulled across the "glacial" ice.

When your vehicle is complete, look at all the vehicles made by each team and predict which one will weigh the least and require the least amount of effort to pull.

Test your vehicle on the ice. Place your vehicle behind a designated start line. Attach the spring scale to a "rope" six to nine inches long depending upon the length of the ice surface. Stand on the far end of the ice and begin to pull the vehicle. Register the amount of work required on the scale. Keep track of the results on a large piece of chart paper.

Weigh your vehicle without the brick. Record the weight on your lab sheet.

Team Names___________________________________________

Vehicle design from a side view.

What design have you chosen for the sled that will come in contact with the ice? (i.e. flat bottom, wheels, treads, runners)

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Why have you chosen this parcticular design?

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What problems did you have building the vehicle?

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Predict which vehicle will weigh the least and require the least amount of effort to be pulled on the ice.

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Why did you choose this vehicle?

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How much did your vehicle weigh? _______________________

How many pounds did the spring scale register when you began to pull your vehicle? _____________________________

Was your prediction correct? ___________________________

Would you now change your vehicle?________ If yes, how? Why?

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Discussions Questions/Extensions ......
How was the vehicle that weighed the least and required the least effort to pull able to do so? Look at the design. This may result in looking at two different vehicles. Brainstorm how improvements to the vehicles could be made. Finish completing the worksheet.

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