Page 5 of 9
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: January 8th, 2011, 6:47 pm
by Primate
Flavorflav wrote:Primate wrote:elmono wrote:Would a fan work as circular motion that blows a marble forward?? Technically the motion of the fan is circular and you are changing another objects motion to linear??
Yep! See, the difference is, you're
harnessing the energy and the undoubtedly circular motion of the fan to move the car forward, linearly.
He didn't say car, he said marble. I would think a car is much safer than a marble, because parts of it are moving linearly. I would not be at all confident that any rolling object would qualify as linear.
Oh good call, I completely missed that. Well, so long as the object's position is changing (in one direction only, of course), I feel like it
should qualify. But you're right, a car is safer.
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: January 14th, 2011, 6:52 am
by SPChroshaw
Would having a non-geared motor winding a string that pulled a mass count? The rotation of the motor is the circular motion and the forward movement of the mass is linear motion.
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: January 14th, 2011, 9:14 pm
by Primate
SPChroshaw wrote:Would having a non-geared motor winding a string that pulled a mass count? The rotation of the motor is the circular motion and the forward movement of the mass is linear motion.
That's a winch, so yep.
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: January 17th, 2011, 4:47 pm
by sciencegirl23
Primate wrote:elmono wrote:Would a fan work as circular motion that blows a marble forward?? Technically the motion of the fan is circular and you are changing another objects motion to linear??
Yep! See, the difference is, you're
harnessing the energy and the undoubtedly circular motion of the fan to move the car forward, linearly.
I used this as my circular to linear step and they wouldn't accept it

Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: February 13th, 2011, 11:20 am
by KNielsen
Another device that could be used is a rubber band or string suspending a weight. The band could be twisted enough so that it contracts upward while hanging onto the weight. When released, the string or band would uncoil (circular motion) and would drop down (linear). This would eliminate the need for gear ratios and hoping a judge interprets the rules as you did.
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: February 18th, 2011, 2:57 am
by Flavorflav
I put this in as a clarification but I haven't heard back yet and I am burning to get an opinion, so I will ask for an advisory opinion from you all: does a device have to complete a full rotation to be considered circular motion? Tmanneo asked this back in September, but I think I was the only one who weighed in. My feeling is that anything swinging around a pivot for any distance would count. What do you think?
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: February 18th, 2011, 2:25 pm
by JTMess
We are using two different objects like a motor turning in circular motion in order to pull a mass in linear motion.
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: February 19th, 2011, 4:12 pm
by Primate
Flavorflav wrote:I put this in as a clarification but I haven't heard back yet and I am burning to get an opinion, so I will ask for an advisory opinion from you all: does a device have to complete a full rotation to be considered circular motion? Tmanneo asked this back in September, but I think I was the only one who weighed in. My feeling is that anything swinging around a pivot for any distance would count. What do you think?
I think the duck test works well here. When you look at the device, you should be able to go "oh wow, circular to linear!" without having to think about it.
I still highly recommend using a winch. No gearing, you'll make dozens of rotations, and it's
clearly circular to linear.
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: February 21st, 2011, 11:42 am
by missionimpossible
Soooo....
A fan knocking over a piece of wood works...
Re: Circular to Linear Task
Posted: February 21st, 2011, 12:47 pm
by Flavorflav
Yeah, but that's the moving air task. You going to do it twice?