> Home page > Creative Genius program > Short-term challenges

Short-term challenges Medium-term challenges Long-term challenges

Short-term challenges > Newspaper bridge > Paper towel roll bridge > Bottle dragster > Tallest tower of straws > Hovercraft > No scrambled eggs! > Newspaper bridge This short-term challenge is taken from the Creative Challenge guide entitled "Relevez le défi", published by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS) All high school students Key words: Resistance of materials Space: Outdoor activity Your mission Your little brother and cousin were given brand new trucks to play with in the sandbox this summer. They want their trucks to be able to travel from one sandbox to another sandbox. What better way than to build a bridge that connects the two sandboxes? Unfortunately, they have only newspaper to build their bridge. Can you help?   The challenge You have 30 minutes to design and build a bridge 60 cm long x 30 cm wide x 50 cm high using 50 sheets of newspaper and toothpicks that will allow a truck to travel from one sandbox to another. The truck will carry a load of sand weighing up to 1 kg. Materials Newspaper (maximum of 50 sheets) 1 box of toothpicks (approximately 1000) 1 tape measure Shoeboxes to support the ends of the bridges (2 per bridge) 1 truck or another small vehicle no larger than 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm (including the sand bags) A balance 1 kg of sand (divided up into 100-g bags) 30 cm of string A few rules You can only use newspaper and toothpicks. The ends of your bridge must rest on shoeboxes (10 cm at each end). The truck AND its load must be no larger than 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm. Attach a string to the front of your truck to pull the truck across the bridge. The test Place an initial 100- or 200-g load on your truck to test the strength of the bridge. Pull the truck across the bridge. If your bridge withstands the load, add 100-g bags of sand one at a time, pulling the load each time across the bridge with the string. Test the strength of the bridge until the bridge collapses or once you have loaded up to 1 kg. If you compete with friends, the bridge that withstands the heaviest load will be declared the winner. You can also award points for the most esthetic bridge. Calculation of points 100 g of sand = 20 points 200 g of sand = 20 points 300 g of sand = 30 points 400 g of sand = 40 points 500 g of sand = 50 points 600 g of sand = 60 points 700 g of sand = 70 points 800 g of sand = 80 points 900 g of sand = 90 points 1 kg of sand = 100 points The science behind the challenge This challenge requires imagination, spontaneity and teamwork rather than scientific knowledge. It is an excellent introduction to a discussion on the resistance of materials. Want to know more? Do a library or on-line search using the key words at the beginning of this challenge. Click on the icon to access the printable PDF format version.* Click on the icon to send a message to a friend. > Paper towel roll bridge (variant of short-term challenge no. 1) This short-term challenge comes from the Creative Challenge guide entitled "Relevez le défi", published by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS) All high school students Key words: Resistance of materials Space: A kitchen table or two wooden chairs or desks Your mission You are heading off on an expedition through the woods with your little brother and cousin. The children refuse to leave their trucks behind. During a break, your cousin asks you to build a new bridge. The hard part is trying to find newspaper in the forest.   The challenge You have 1 hour to build a bridge that is 60 cm long x 25 cm wide x 50 cm high using paper towel or toilet paper rolls and that is able to support a truck carrying up to 1 kg of sand. Materials Paper towel or toilet paper rolls 1 box of toothpicks (approximately 1000 per team) 1 tape measure Solid shoeboxes or other items that can be used as bridge pillars 1 truck measuring 20 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm 1 balance 1 kg of sand (divided up into 200-g bags) String (approximately 30 cm) A few rules You must leave 5 cm at either end to rest your bridge on pillars (shoeboxes). The main deck cannot be more than 10 cm thick. The test Choose the number of tests that you want to do on your bridge (5 to 10, depending on whether you choose 100- or 200-g loads). Weigh the bags. Rest your bridge on the pillars. Pull the truck across the bridge. It will cross the bridge at least five times carrying a different load. The more loads you get across, the more points you win. The bridge that withstands the heaviest load will be declared the winner. Calculation of points 100 g of sand = 20 points 200 g of sand = 20 points 300 g of sand = 30 points 400 g of sand = 40 points 500 g of sand = 50 points 600 g of sand = 60 points 700 g of sand = 70 points 800 g of sand = 80 points 900 g of sand = 90 points 1 kg of sand = 100 points The science behind the challenge This challenge requires imagination, spontaneity and teamwork rather than scientific knowledge. It is an excellent introduction to a discussion on the resistance of materials. Want to know more? Do a library or on-line search using the key words at the beginning of this challenge. Click on the icon to access the printable PDF format version.* Click on the icon to send a message to a friend. > Bottle dragster This short-term challenge is taken from the Creative Challenge guide entitled "Relevez le défi", published by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS) All high school students particularly Grades 7 to 9 Key words: Car construction, propulsion, reaction of gases, gas compression, force and motion. Space: Long corridor or outdoors Your mission QUICK! You must get to the shopping mall as fast as possible because the store “Gadgetz” is having a one-hour sale. This sale takes place only once a year and you intend on coming home with those extreme motorized running shoes—the ones your parents refuse to buy!   The challenge You have one hour to build a rolling vehicle that is propelled by a single balloon, that will travel the longest distance in a straight line. Materials 1 plastic water or soda bottle (1 or 2 L) 2 round balloons whose circumference does not exceed 120 cm when they are filled with air 4 film container lids 2 elastic bands 6 straws 50 cm of fabric tape 2 plastic or wooden clothes pins 1 flexible tape measure to measure the circumference of the balloons (sewing tape measure) 1 7-m tape measure Coloured tape for the starting line and to mark off a straight line A few spare balloons and smaller balloons in case a third test is needed A hole punch to pierce holes in the plastic WITHOUT INJURING yourself A few rules You must use ALL the materials. Only one balloon filled with air can be used to propel your vehicle. The second balloon is to be used as a spare in case the first one bursts or during the second test. The test You have five minutes to inflate the balloon and place your vehicle in the racing lane. Measure the balloon to ensure that its circumference does not exceed 120 cm. You must allow your vehicle to roll on a flat surface (e.g. ceramic, tile, hardwood floor) and not push it. Once it begins to move forward, you cannot intervene. If you compete with friends, the vehicle that travels the longest distance in a straight line is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, test the vehicles a third time using smaller balloons. Want to know more? Do a library or on-line search using the key words at the beginning of this challenge. Click on the icon to access the printable PDF format version.* Click on the icon to send a message to a friend. > Tallest tower of straws This short-term challenge is taken from the Creative Challenge guide entitled "Relevez le défi", published by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS) All high school students Key words: Resistance of materials Space: A large space at least 4 m2 Your mission At an architects’ convention, a contest is held to find someone who can build a structure strong enough to support a certain weight.   The challenge You must build the tallest tower using straws. Your tower must be able to support the weight of 2 dictionaries. Materials 30 straws 20 paper clips 20 plastic coffee stirrers 30 cm of tape 1 tape measure 2 dictionaries 1 stopwatch A few rules Before you begin, take 15 minutes to imagine or discuss the approach you plan to use. Don't handle the materials during your reflection or discussion. This challenge requires a fairly large space, so we suggest you build your tower on a large desk or a kitchen table. You have 30 minutes to build your tower. Once the time is up, you cannot intervene. Your tower must have a flat roof so that the dictionaries can be placed. You can modify this challenge by using different materials or test loads, or changing the construction time. Use your imagination and invent a variety of different towers! The test Measure the towers from bottom to top before placing the dictionaries on the roofs. Place the dictionaries on the tower roofs. Calculate the time that the tower withstands the weight of the dictionaries. The tallest tower able to support the weight of the books will be declared the winner. If you do the challenge with a friend and your towers are the same height, the one that withstands the weight the longest will be declared the winner. To make the challenge more interesting, test the strength of the towers in stages. Start with pocket dictionaries and increase the weight of the test load during subsequent stages. The science behind the challenge This challenge calls for knowledge of building structures and the resistance of materials. Want to know more? Do a library or on-line search using the key words at the beginning of this challenge. Click on the icon to access the printable PDF format version.* Click on the icon to send a message to a friend. > Hovercraft This short-term challenge is taken from the Creative Challenge guide entitled "Relevez le défi", published by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS) All high school students Key words: Potential energy, kinetic energy Space: School corridor is an ideal location Your mission A team of biologists in the Great North have lost their boat in a swamp. They have to find a variety of objects on-site to build a hovercraft that will take them back to their base camp.   The challenge You have one hour to design and build a hovercraft propelled by a balloon that can travel the longest distance in a given direction. Materials 1 plastic lid, any size (e.g. yogurt or ice cream container) 6 straws 1 sheet of craft paper (8 in. x 11 in.) 50 cm of fabric tape (e.g. duct tape) 2 elastic bands 3 balloons whose circumference does not exceed 100 cm when they are filled with air 1 flexible tape measure for measuring the circumference of the balloons 1 regular tape measure for measuring the distances traveled by the hovercrafts. You are not required to use all the materials, but no substitutions are allowed. A few rules Design and build your hovercraft. You cannot test your hovercraft before the competition. The circumference of any of the balloons used cannot exceed 100 cm. Designing and building can be done alone, but the testing will be easier in teams of two to four, in order to measure the circumferences of the balloons and the distances traveled by the hovercrafts. The test Once the balloons have been inflated, measure their circumference using a tape measure. Once this inspection is completed, you can launch your hovercraft. You cannot intervene once the hovercraft has been launched. You have two tries. The longest distance traveled will be recorded. It doesn’t matter whether your hovercraft travels in a straight line; the total distance travelled by the hovercraft counts in this challenge. The science behind the challenge This challenge looks at the potential energy of an inflated balloon used to propel a small platform. Since this is a short-term challenge, take the time to research potential energy before gathering the materials. Find examples of hovercrafts. If you take on this challenge with friends, discuss what you learn. This activity could even be carried out as part of a science club. Want to know more? Do a library or on-line search using the key words at the beginning of this challenge. Click on the icon to access the printable PDF format version.* Click on the icon to send a message to a friend. > No scrambled eggs! This short-term challenge is taken from the Creative Challenge guide entitled "Relevez le défi", published by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS) All high school students Key words: Aerodynamics Space: Indoor or outdoor staircase or balcony Number of participants: 2 Your mission You are at the top of a cliff. You know that your friends are somewhere below and have been without food for several days. Climbing down the cliff will take several hours and you have to find a way of getting your friends food and water quicky so that they can get their strength back.   The challenge You have 30 minutes to design and build a container equipped with a parachute that is able to safely support an egg. You will drop the container and the egg from a height of 2.5 m. Materials Paper bags to build the container Plastic bags to build the parachute String 1 roll of tape Thread 1 large egg (raw) 1 or 2 stopwatches accurate to 0.01 second (essential) A few rules Build a container equipped with a parachute. With a piece of string on the launch ramp, indicate the height from which the container will be dropped. At the start, the container and the entire device must be above this line. The ramp can be a staircase or a balcony. ENSURE THAT THE PARACHUTE LAUNCH AREA IS SAFE. The height of the ramp should be no less than 2.5 m, otherwise the descent times will be very difficult to measure. From this height, the parachutes should descend in less than 5 seconds. Test flight Ensure that the device is above the starting line (string) when you launch your parachute. We suggest you appoint someone specifically for this very important task, because you must start timing the descent as soon as the assembly is dropped. Time the descent. The team whose parachute has the slowest descent without breaking the egg will be declared the winner. It is preferable to do more than one descent in order to take the average of two tries (or, if you prefer, the slower of the two times). Since the results will be only hundredths of seconds apart, you will need at least two descent times, especially if you take the challenge with friends and must declare a winner. Remember to have mops, rags and a bucket on hand to clean up any scrambled eggs! The science behind the challenge This challenge involves speed—or a lack thereof—and the principles of aerodynamics. The aim is not to gain speed but to try and make the parachute descent as slow as possible. Take some time to discuss or research the approach and the scientific principles before starting your project. Want to know more? Do a library or on-line search using the key words at the beginning of this challenge. Click on the icon to access the printable PDF format version.* Click on the icon to send a message to a friend. * If you do not have Acrobat Reader, click on the icon : © 2002, Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique (CDLS). This document is distributed by the Conseil de développement du loisir scientifique. For more information, visit our Web site at www.cdls.qc.ca. The opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Merck Frosst or its employees.