Brainstorming

   OK, so a lot of research is being done. Besides the actual concept on making the car, my partner and I (or maybe just me) are interested in knowing answers to questions related to the assignment.

Right now? Well, you see this balloon? (It's the one my friend and I were tossing around during lunch today. Here's a link to her blog if you're interested: http://theductmobile.blogspot.ca/)

Anyway, one thing we want to find out is how much energy a balloon this size would release. Whether this would impact the assignment in anyway, we don't know, but it'd be cool to find out, so stay tuned on that.

In terms of our project and the research, Marlon and I are debating over what materials we should use for the body of the car and for the wheels.

Body of the Car:

Option #1: Water Bottles

Pros: Bullet shaped (aerodynamic), light, easy to get

Cons: Ridges are not aerodynamic, hard to manipulate

Option #2: Styrofoam

Pros: Light, easy to manipulate, easy to get, can be shaped

Cons: Messy

We're still working on this- what might happen is we test both and see which performs better, but styrofoam has a slight advantage right now.

Wheels:

Wheels are not a problem for us, we decided to use CDs because:

- They are light

- They turn easily

- They have minimal contact with the ground (less friction)

My partner and I pretty much gave up on balancing the momentum, it overcomplicates the car. We decided to be light, simple and elegant.

We did decide to use a straw though, as we realized it controls the airflow better.

Until next time! We hope to bring you sketches of our new design plus an actual picture of the car :]