Celebrating Science Week

Last week as part of British Science Week, Science club had the opportunity to create their own Rube Goldberg machines. Students learnt that these machines use chain reactions to carry out a very simple purpose. An example of a chain reaction students created was to weave lolly sticks together to build potential energy before releasing them in a flurry of kinetic energy.

Students discovered the key to the popsicle stick chain reaction comes from potential energy built through weaving and the kinetic energy when the lolly sticks get released. As the students weaved the lolly sticks together, they built potential energy. The twisting and bending of popsicle sticks results in a lot of potential energy in the wood fibres because the lolly stick is no longer in its relaxed position.

The lolly sticks want to return to its relaxed position and release the transferred energy, but this would not take place as the lolly stick are being clamped down. After deciding how long the chain is going to be and letting go of the lolly stick, all of the potential energy is quickly converted down the line in a chain reaction of kinetic energy.