Engineering Design Challenge: Bobsleds

Bobsled racing is a very technical sport; it combines science and engineering to design the most efficient sled. Through this activity, participants explore concepts such as friction, gravity, and air resistance and their impact on acceleration.

Working individually or in small groups, visitors use recycled materials to design, build, and test their bobsled on our 8-foot long bobsled track. Get a first-hand experience of the design process that scientists and engineers undergo by conceptualizing the problem, designing and testing a prototype, and making modifications as necessary to optimize the solution.

The goal of this challenge is to create a miniature bobsled that is either as fast or as slow as possible. Start with one bobsled base - ours are the trays used to package pipette tips; if you're going this at home, you could use soap dishes.

Step 1 Choose materials

Once you have your bobsled base, you can use the other materials provided any way you like. You are the engineer, and you can solve the problem any way you want. The materials we have are:

- Fabric strips, measuring approximately 3 by 8 inches.
- Binder clips
- Dead batteries, for weight (wrapped in purple duct tape)
- Straws
- Pipe cleaners

All of these are simple household materials. Try an arts & crafts store to purchase the fabric, or you could cut up old clothes.