Simple Gravity Car

I'm sure you've all heard the story of Newton being hit by an apple. Aside from learning that getting hit by an apple won't give you a concussion, it also taught us about the existence of gravity! Gravity is the force of attraction between objects with mass. It's what gives objects weight. On Earth, Earth's gravity pulls objects towards its surface, giving them weight and causing them to fall to the ground.

I believe that all of you, being clever, can certainly use Gigo Blocks to create various models that utilize the principles of gravity. However, in situations where materials are limited, how can we make a simple gravity model? The answer to this question is our star today - the Simple Gravity Car!

Don't be fooled by its small size; it not only perfectly demonstrates the principle of gravity but also involves quite a bit of science in its making! Now, let's learn how to make this Simple Gravity Car together!

★ Parts List

The materials you'll need are shown in the image below. If you don't have a C-3x13 DUAL FRAME, C-STATIC AXLE CONNECTOR, or C-7 HOLE ROUND ROD, you can use regular rectangular frames, long pegs, and rod as substitutes. There's quite a bit of flexibility here. Additionally, we'll need cotton thread and a hub, which will allow us to connect the car to the weights and turn it into a gravity car!

★ Assembly Steps

Car Body

First, let's assemble the car body. Combine the C-7 HOLE ROUND ROD with the C-3 HOLE DUAL ROD as shown below, and attach a C-STATIC AXLE CONNECTOR to the end of the C-3 HOLE DUAL ROD.

Next, we will install the front and rear wheels. Please remember that for the rear wheel, you must first pass it through the hub in the center of the axle, then through the round rod, and finally attach the pulley. (Make sure the pulley can rotate smoothly.)

Now, we will attach the small pulley and the 30mm axle to the hole in the top left corner of the C-3x13 DUAL FRAME.

Finally, we will attach the the set of the C-3x13 DUAL FRAME to the hole in the C-3 HOLE DUAL ROD we prepared earlier, and the car body is complete!

Counterweight Plate

After completing the car body, we can now proceed to make the counterweight plate!

First, we'll form a circle with the C-BENDED ROD and place four B-SHORT PEG (front and back) into the symmetrical holes.

Next, we'll connect the B-SHORT PEG with the C-5 HOLE PROLATE ROD, and that's how we complete the counterweight plate!

Finally, we'll tie one end of the cotton thread to the hub and the other end to the counterweight plate, connecting the car body and the counterweight. That's it! Here comes the simple gravity car!

★ The simple gravity car model

★ How to Play

1.  To play this gravity car, you need to get some coins from your coin pouch and place them in the counterweight plate (yes, it's a pay-to-play game!). We recommend using 3 to 4 ten-dollar coins as they provide enough weight and are less likely to fall off. See the picture below.  

2. After placing the coins, hang the counterweight plate along with the cotton string on the small gear of the car body.

3. Finally, roll the car backward until the counterweight plate reaches its highest position. At this point, just release your fingers, and the gravity car will start moving! (Watch the operation video for details.)

★ Operation Video

★ Scientific Principle

The primary scientific principle we are using here is "Gravity."

Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward one another due to their mass. It's a manifestation of universal gravitation on Earth. Gravity has three key characteristics: it always acts downward, the force of gravity is directly proportional to an object's mass, and gravity varies with latitude. When we talk about the center of gravity, it's essentially the point where gravity acts on an object!

The source of gravity for this model is our counterweight, which we load with weight (coins) and raise it to its highest point, creating a downward force. So, when we release our hand, the counterweight drops, and gravity pulls on the string, causing the axle to rotate and initiating the movement of the gravity car!

★ Conclusion

In conclusion, when creating models, we often use a significant number of parts to achieve our goals. While the final product may meet our expectations, an excessive use of resources can leave us unable to adapt when we face a shortage of parts. Therefore, it's worth trying to simplify your models. Who knows, you might discover a whole new world of possibilities!