Boats Resources

CPEP Boats Resources

Boat Rules Sheet

CORE CONCEPTS OF THE BOAT CHALLENGE

Review the information below to learn more about these core concepts of physics and how they apply to the CPEP Boat Challenge.

Archimedes' Principle: The buoyancy force is equal to the weight of the displaced water. see: http://physics.weber.edu/carroll/archimedes/principle.htm To learn more about the Greek scientist and inventor Archimedes, see: http://www.cs.drexel.edu/~crorres/Archimedes/contents.html
Buoyancy: An upward acting force caused by fluid pressure such as the water pressure on the hull of your boat is called buoyancy. see: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lasalle/buoybasics.html

Density: The mass of an object occupying a given volume is called density. see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density
Displacement: The word displacement refers to the mass of the water that an object such as your boat displaces while floating. see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Displacement_(ship)
Newton's Third Law of Motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. see: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/newt.html#nt3
Velocity: The rate of change in the position of an object such as your boat is called velocity. see: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vel2.html#c1
How do submarines manage to control the way they float and sink? To learn more visit the U.S. Office of Naval Research. see: http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/blowballast/sub/work1.htm
Why do boats float and rocks sink? To learn more see: http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/farid/sciencekids/float.html


Resources to review

http://www.boatdesign.net
http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/blowballast/resources/bouancy1.htm
http://www.rnli.org.uk/shorething/youth/games/Build_Lifeboat/game.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkT3ulsGWyA&feature=related


And, yes, you have to come up with a different design than last year.

Designs must be drawn out before you can start construction.