Description: Each team will construct a boat that can hold the most weight before sinking.
Number of Participants: 2
Competition: The competition consists of 2 phases: construction & testing.
Construction:
1. The teams will get 15 minutes to construct their floating device.
2. Each team will receive a bag of building materials. All teams will receive the same materials. The materials listed below may be among them, but the actual materials are not limited to the list. No team or coach will know the actual contents of the bags before the event.
3. Only the materials in the bag may be used, and the bag may NOT be used. No additional materials or adhesives may be used.
4. Possible building materials:
Construction:
1. The teams will get 15 minutes to construct their floating device.
2. Each team will receive a bag of building materials. All teams will receive the same materials. The materials listed below may be among them, but the actual materials are not limited to the list. No team or coach will know the actual contents of the bags before the event.
3. Only the materials in the bag may be used, and the bag may NOT be used. No additional materials or adhesives may be used.
4. Possible building materials:
popsicle sticks
rubber bands straws foil |
wax paper
milk cartons tape pipe cleaners |
styrofoam bowl
styrofoam cup dixie cup paper clips |
5. The boat must be able to hold pennies that will be added to weigh down the boat.
Testing:
1. Students will add pennies one at a time to their boat.
2. Once the boat takes on water in the penny holding area, the students stop adding pennies and count how many were added.
3. The more pennies added to the boat, the better their score.
Testing:
1. Students will add pennies one at a time to their boat.
2. Once the boat takes on water in the penny holding area, the students stop adding pennies and count how many were added.
3. The more pennies added to the boat, the better their score.
Scoring: Teams will be ranked based on the number of pennies in their boat. Highest number of pennies will be ranked above lower number of pennies.
Tie Breaker: Time taken to build their boat.
Tie Breaker: Time taken to build their boat.
Resources
How does a boat float if it's heavy?
An easy-to-understand answer to this basic question from UCSB Science Line that is wise to read before you start building.
An easy-to-understand answer to this basic question from UCSB Science Line that is wise to read before you start building.
How much weight can your boat float?
A science fair project guide from Science Buddies that explains key concepts of density, mass, volume, displacement, and buoyancy. The procedure suggests several possible designs to try when constructing your own ship.
A science fair project guide from Science Buddies that explains key concepts of density, mass, volume, displacement, and buoyancy. The procedure suggests several possible designs to try when constructing your own ship.
Float my boat?
This "Activities with Parents" idea from PBS reviews the concept of buoyancy and encourages experimenting with multiple boat designs using just 6 inch squares of tinfoil.
This "Activities with Parents" idea from PBS reviews the concept of buoyancy and encourages experimenting with multiple boat designs using just 6 inch squares of tinfoil.
Let's make aluminum boats
This YouTube video compares two boat designs: one with medium height & medium base surface area and the other with small height and BIG surface area. Watch the video to see which design holds more pennies.
This YouTube video compares two boat designs: one with medium height & medium base surface area and the other with small height and BIG surface area. Watch the video to see which design holds more pennies.