Air
propulsion Motor Boats
(Simple Electric
Circuit)
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Combine the joy and excitement of
mechanical toys with your science project by constructing an air
propelled motor boat. This is also a good way of learning about
simple electric circuits. Your boat will have a battery, a switch and a
motor with propeller. This can be used as a science project related
to electricity, force or floatation. This idea is good for a display
project, an engineering project and an experimental (investigatory)
project. The main structure is
made of Styrofoam board that is available at hardware stores and home
improvement stores. |
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| Material used in this
project are: Simple Switch, Electric Motor, Battery Holder,
Propeller, Screws and Wire.
All the material are from the
"Simple Electric Circuit Kit"; however, the kit also include
light bulb and light holder that may be used for other projects. To
utilize the extra material in this project, you may install the light
in front side of your boat and use a piece of aluminum foil as
reflector. |
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| Procedure:
Start by cutting the foam. You can
cut the Styrofoam easily with utility knives. Just practice for a few
minutes and you will get the grip on it. Hold the knife in a sharp
angle and don't push too much. You may need to go over the same line a
few times until you get a clean cut.
Styrofoam boards can be glued using white
glue or wood glue. They can also be painted using any latex paint or
water based paint.
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| Feel free on making your
own design. Just reserve a place where you can place the electric
motor and secure it with tape.
Battery is a heavy piece; it must be
centered in order for your boat to have a balance on water.
Adjustments may be made by placing other heavy objects onboard.
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| Please note that with this
method you are not restricted to a boat. You may also make a car that
drives by pushing the air backward. You just need for wheels and four
nails. Make sure that the wheels are large enough and can spin freely.
To hide the battery and switch, you
may also use some cardboard to make a cabin and place it over those
parts. |
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| The boat that you see in
the picture does not have a steering mechanism. You may try different
possible methods to construct a steeling mechanism in your boat. |
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| Finally you can make a vehicle
that can drive both on land and in water. To do that simply attach the
wheels to the sides of the boat.
With your kit you may also receive
four sheaves that may be used as wheels. Sheaves are almost like the
ring in a bicycle; they are just missing the tiers. Students often use
sheaves to make pulleys as a part of a simple machine project.
If you did not get sheaves in your
kit, use the wheels of any plastic toy car instead. |
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Sheaves are added as a bonus to some of the
kits purchased in the beginning of the school year. Material that comes with
the kit may be used in many other projects as well.
| Two pictures of a simple
air propelled electric car. With some creativity and artwork you can
make this a must better project. |
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| The Kit Contains the
electric motor, simple switch, battery holder, wire, light bulb, screw
base for light bulb, wire, screws and propeller.
You will need additional material and
tools such as Styrofoam board, wood, nail, water color, screw driver,
battery and utility knife.
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| For a simple electric
circuit, you may install the battery holder, switch and light on a
board. The switch is missing in this picture.
Simple Electric Circuit Part#KITSEC |
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