The Big Engineering Makerspace Manual

9 X2 CRANE 10
9 X2 10
2 x 1010
9 X2
10
99 X222

22

22

222

11 112212 13200mm axle
11 12 100mm axle
1111
11 12 100mm axle

100mm axle

13 14 22
1133
14
15
4815 14

22

22
22

16

15 15 16 On the Road
15 16
16
15

15 1616

17

17 17 18
17

1177

17

117717 17 19

17 18 1188 1919
18 19
1717 17 19
17
17
18 19

17

OD33mm pulley

OD33mm pOuDlle3y3m40 m pulley OD33mm pul4l0ey OD329 3mm pulley
OD33mm pulley OD23mm pOuDlle2y3mm pulley

OD33mm pulley OD23mm pulley
OD23mm pulley
20 20
5

30 70mm a

21

49

2211 70mm axle 22

CRANE 22

7301 mm axle

21

23

23

23

2424

5
5

50 26 27

4 25

27 27 On the Road

25 26 26 150 cm of string 72

25 27

2529 26
27
39

29

28

28

28

28

Done! A

51

EXPERIMENT 8 Crane trolley C

Crane B

YOU WILL NEED KEY CONCEPT: BLOCK AND TACKLE
SYSTEM
› The assembled crane
› Some books to weigh down the crane A block and tackle system is a technical tool that’s
› Small coins or stones to fill the pontoon used to lift heavy loads. It uses multiple pulleys to
distribute the load. The more pulleys you have, the
HERE’S HOW lower the force. However, it also means that you’ll
have to use more rope. In theory, this means that
1. Place the books at the foot of the crane on the floor, to you can reduce the force as much as you want.
prevent the crane from toppling over. However, the pulleys also add to the weight of the
load and need to be hoisted up as well. The number
2. The crane trolley is attached to an axle. The farther of pulleys needed should therefore be calculated
forward the crane trolley is attached, the greater the carefully, so that the necessary force can be
strain on the crane jib. provided with the minimum number of pulleys.

3. The assembled version of the crane we have here is
based on block and tackle example A.

4. Position the ratchet on the gear so that the rope does
not get pulled toward the crane hook.

5. Fill the pontoon with coins and stones and attach the
load to the crane hook.

6. You can now turn the crank and hoist up the load. Raise
and lower the load a couple of times (releasing the gear
with the ratchet).

7. Thread the rope through the pulleys as shown in
example B, then try lifting and lowering the load again.

8. And finally, thread the rope as shown in example C.
Then lift and lower the load.

WHAT’S HAPPENING AB C

When you turn the crank, you are exerting force on the WAONUttTrTcapItehonrhrrseatTMmiteoanncOhttmcerOmhioiaopeaowFnRunrlnseelItdwEtfN.tatiwihRp?ororDeeelhproicdmefepYtulsdnolioot,oeuobvbhsnyreyeecoo?oiaatunvtJfhvnhegucteyerhusah.btlfesnIooosoeljiarimiostktbcdhtkheeoesresevdwem,rmecle.aaiurttutaathsthsinantvetaycebebchseittremeooaaeepnpqttsloeheoauasseacawttitrtdlbtio,fo,hoatlranhenlsoeneeemlbyddeolovebtfcttevhhelhtroefeheosrsneiredeteos.
rope. The pulleys used in example A only influence the
direction of force — they do not influence the amount
of force. Pulling the rope simply hoists the load. With
examples B and C, less force is needed because the

rope is suspended from two (B) or three (C) places
and these additional suspension points bear a
portion of the load (see diagram on right). This
explains why you have to turn the crank more. If we
disregard friction, the required rope length
multiplied by the force will always be the same.

52

On the Road

PNEUMATIC SHOCK ABSORBER

1 2 10 14 17 18 21 22

26 x 5 x 3 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 2 x 6 x

23 25 27 28 32 33 34

4 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 2 x 2 x

35 45 49 50 56 57 58 59

6 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 1 x

79

4 x 4 x 1 x 80

60 61 62 63 65

78

1 x
1 x 1 Mx M811M 8xC8CaraCSraMh1Sr xoh8ScohCkcoakAcrAbkSsb1hA xosob1ro xcpsr2kotp12 ixr2Aotpi2nbotisnoonrp2tion

1 1 1

1

3 3 3 4 4 44

3

3 4

23
23

23 2233

55 5 5 77 7 7 53

23

5 PNEUMATIC SHOCK ABSORBER 6
9
6 5

2233 23

8 4
71177

23

6

23 23

7

7

2233

6

8

23 11

100mm axle

32

54

89 On the Road

9

89

100mm axle 23
2233

10 2 x 11 11 A
10 x2
A A A

8 9

2222

2222 12 12

23

2222

11 11 AA
13
13 A

100mm axle

22 100mm axle 12
22
55

x2 A

22 PNEUMATIC SHOCK ABSORBER

22 12
22 12

12

22
22

22

A

13 13
13
100mm axle

100mm ax3le2
100mm axle

1003m2 m axle

14

14

33 33 1

56

On the Road

15

15

15 15

16 16

17

17 17

17 25cm tube 25cm tube

25-cm tube 56

25cm tube

57

PNEUMATIC SHOCK ABSORBER

18

56 20-cm tube 56

20-cm tube

56

40-cm tube

56 40-cm tube

Done!

58

On the Road

EXPERIMENT 9

Pneumatic shock absorber

YOU WILL NEED

› The assembled bus with pneumatic
shock absorbers
› Some books to act as a load
› Small obstacles for the bus to drive over (pens, small

sticks, etc.) or a board

HERE’S HOW DID YOU KNOW?

1. Move the lever on the switch to the center position. In cars, shock absorbers consist
of two components. First there is
2. Pump air into the pressurized air tank (pump between a spring, which absorbs large
10 and 50 times). shock impulses, and then there is
a piston in a cylinder, which is filled with oil. The piston
3. Open the valve as much as possible. is permeable, to allow oil to flow through it slowly.
The friction caused by the piston moving through the
4. Next move the lever back and forth — the vehicle body oil then absorbs more of the shock impulses.
will now move up and down. Set the lever so that the
vehicle body stays hoisted. KEY CONCEPT: MOUNTAIN BIKES

5. Then place some books on the holding bracket, so that A good mountain bike will have a suspension fork. Some
the vehicle body is lowered a little. models have oil-filled damping systems that absorb and
dampen shock impulses. This makes for a more
6. Now give the bus a little push so that it drives over the comfortable ride over rough terrain. Certain suspension
obstacles or the edge of the board. forks even allow you to adjust the degree
of damping by closing a valve. This means
7. Check also what happens to the bus when the shock you can modify the bike’s behavior
absorbers are fully retracted and fully extended. according to the type of surface (if biking
on a gravel road or forest trail with lots
WHAT’S HAPPENING of tree roots, for example), so that it
doesn’t lose contact with the ground.
When driving over the obstacle, the wheel lifts, and this
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movement is transferred to the piston via the linkage.
shock absorber.
Because air can be compressed, the piston is able to
59
move and thereby cushion the bus from external shock

impulses. When the air is compressed, thermodynamic

work is performed on the air, which results in some of

the kinetic energy being converted into thermal

energy. This causes the air to heat up. The movement

loses energy, so that the impact can be absorbed. If

it is fully retracted or fully Vehicle body

extended, the shock absorber

cannot function correctly and

any shock impulses are

transferred directly to the

vehicle.

Uneven road surface

1 x

CAR WITH BRAKE

12 5 7 10 11 14 16 19

16 x 8 x 3 x 3 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 1 x

20 21 22 23 25 26

2 x 2 x 3 x 3 x 2 x 2 x

30 33 34 38 40 43 45 49

1 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 2 x

50 51 59 4 x

56 57 58

4 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 79
1 x
60 61 62
65 80
1 x 1 x 1 x
63 1 x 78 MM77CCaarrBBrraakkee

1 x 1 1 1 x 1 x 1 x

1 22

2

2

33 44
34

60

4 55 On the Road

4 2222

4 2233 2222
23
6
6

6

7

7

88 2233

55 9

5

150mm axle

2233

61

7 CAR WITH BRAKE 8 5

23 23 5
5
9

923

9 55 10
9 150mm 3a3xle
60mm axle
55
23
5
10 10 23
axle 150mm axle 10
150mm ax1le0 60mm axle 60mm axle
4O0 D33mm pulley
6300mm axle

11 OD33mm pulley OD33mm pulley 12
OD33mm pulley
11 12
22
11 5
11 12
112 2
22
22 2222

55 5
5

62

On the Road

13 13

13

small rubber band

rubber band
small rubber band

2 x 51

14

Insert the two rubber 14
bands into the slot in the 14
joint pin.
150mm axle
14

15 33

15 150mm axle
150mm axle
15
15 25cm tube

56 25-cm tube

25cm tube

25cm tube

63

16 CAR WITH BRAKE
1616

40-cm tube 56

56 20-cm tube

40-cm tube

56

20-cm tube

Done!

64

On the Road

EXPERIMENT 10

Car with brake

YOU WILL NEED

› The assembled car
› M easuring tape (e.g. the measuring tape you created

as part of the surveyor’s wheel experiment)

HERE’S HOW WHAT’S HAPPENING

1. Move the lever on the switch to the center position. The air in the pressurized air tank flows through the
valve. It then flows through the tubes into the
2. Now pump air into the pressurized air tank (pump cylinder and pushes the piston out. The linkage
between 30 and 50 times). transfers the movement to the brake pad. The brake

3. Next move the lever back and forth — the brake will pad then presses against the brake disks. Exactly
now move up and down. You can use the valve to adjust how fast or slow this happens depends on the
the speed of the brakes. degree to which the valve is open. Friction causes
the car’s kinetic energy to be converted into heat,
4. Draw the rubber bands forward, and from below, place
them around the teeth of the sprocket on the rear-wheel which then causes the car to come to a stop.
shaft.
Vehicle body
5. Now drag the car backward until the rubber bands are
sufficiently taut. If you’re using two rubber bands, this
will correspond to a distance of roughly 1 meter.

6. It’s important to keep a firm grip on the back wheels so
that they don’t spin.

7. Line up the car so that the path ahead is clear of all
obstacles.

8. Now adjust the lever so that the brake can be applied.
As soon as you see the brake being applied, release the
car and let it go.

DID YOU KNOW? Brake cylinder
Brake pad
In real-life cars, brakes function in a similar way. The Brake disk
only difference is that they use brake fluid — an oil-
based substance — instead. Brake fluid cannot be 65
compressed and pushes the brake pads against the
brake disks. Unlike our experiment here, the brake pads
are not pressed
onto the
circumference of
the brake pad;
instead, they are
pressed against the
sides of the wheel.
Rim brakes and
disk brakes on a
bicycle work in the same way.

CHECK IT OUT

Converting and conserving energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed. Energy is always converted from one form to
another. This is referred to as the “conservation of energy.” Energy comes in various
different forms. Examples include kinetic energy, potential energy, elastic energy,
thermal energy, chemical energy, and electric energy. Energy is needed to perform
work. For example, certain work must be performed in order to lift a stone. The same
applies to the potential energy that is subsequently transferred to the stone.

People sometimes talk about
energy loss. Although, on a
physical level, this is not
actually possible, the term
“energy loss” is used in
everyday language to
describe a situation in which
a movement has ended due

to friction, for example. The
friction generates heat, and
this heat can no longer be
used. This results in a loss of usable energy.
Incidentally, this usable energy is known as “exergy.”

ANCIENT TEMPLES

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66

On the Road

SPEED LIMIT?

For many people, speed is everything. In
the animal kingdom, speed is what
determines whether or not a predator
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the cheetah,
it’ll have to

It’s much the same for race car drivers. They’re very quick when
they zip around the track in their speedy cars, but their fuel
tanks empty just as quickly. And Formula One cars aren’t even
the fastest cars — Andy Green outpaced them all when he broke
the sound barrier in a rocket-propelled car in 1997.

AS HEAVY AS A CAR

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67

On Land and Sea

Many thousands of years ago, the Ancient Egyptians were already using boats on the
Nile to transport the heavy stones they needed to build their temples. These days, we
use modern wind- or jet-propelled boats. You can build your own versions of these
different boats and check out how they work. You can even send a submarine on an
underwater dive.

68

On Land and Sea

CATAMARAN

1 2 5 10 12 17

1 x 11 x 2 x 1 x 6 x 1 x

18 22 23 53

1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x

54 55 67

M3 Sail Boat
MM1 3311S7S 0x2 axMaiillM3BBSo3o2a1a7a 2 xSxittlaBilo17B 5xaotat
4 x 3 X2 3 3 X32 X2
3 X2
1 69
1 1 x 3 X2 2 x
1
22
1 222

22

2 223 2 22
2 22

2 23

2 23 23 117
23 17
4
44 23 17
4
17

17

44 55 X2
5 X2
5 X522X 2x
5 X2

6 X2 7 69

6 X2 CATAMARAN 7
66 X2
2 x 7
23
7
223
9
8 220mm 9 TPsspthltoIiaieePceccek!aeetscsot.hhonTefothofaeedtndthhghaeeeetssetbaidaovcgfmehettbshtaoweopofoe
8 220mm
9 99
88 27220200mmmm

8

the sheet, roll these
edges around the sticks,
and then stick to the
back of the sheet.
150mm
150mm

69

115500mmmm

10 string 15cm Done!
10 5 72st1ri5ncgm1o5f sctmring

111000 stsrtirningg11555c5cmm

5 55
55

55

70

On Land and Sea

EXPERIMENT 11

Catamaran KEY CONCEPT: BERNOULLI’S EFFECT

YOU WILL NEED Discovered by and named after Daniel Bernoulli,
the effect describes a situation where the pressure in a
› The assembled catamaran flow decreases as its speed increases. Conversely, it
› A large water container, e.g. a filled bathtub increases as the flow slows down.

or a paddling pool u1 A1

HERE’S HOW A2 < A1 u2 > u1

1. Place the catamaran on the surface of the water and p2 < p1
move the sail over to one side.
p1
2. Blow on the sail from different directions.
DID YOU KNOW? WIND POWER
3. If you’re outside, you can also use the wind for Turning point
propulsion. You can find out what direction the wind is Skillful sailors can even sail Course
blowing by picking some blades of grass and throwing their boats against the wind. to be sailed
them in the air. Which direction do they blow in? To do so, they position the boat
and the sails at an oblique
4. Take note of the direction the catamaran is moving in. angle to the wind and apply
the Bernoulli effect. When the
WHAT’S HAPPENING boat is moved out of the wind,
its direction is altered slightly,
When you blow at an exact right angle to the sail, air so that the wind is hitting the
pressure rises at that spot. This is known as dynamic sail from the optimal angle
pressure. This creates a difference in pressure on the once again. This kind of sailing
other side of the sail, which is then pushed forward is called “tacking.”
by the difference. The catamaran will move in a

curve in the direction that the sail is angled toward.

If you blow on the sail diagonally from the front,
the air will flow along the outer side (the side
facing the water more) and the inner side (the side
facing the boat more) of the sail. In order for the
air to flow along the outer side, it must move

faster because it has farther to travel. This results
in a drop in pressure (Bernoulli’s principle). The
pressure difference applies a force to the sail and
causes the catamaran to move outward.

WAONUTT MTOOFRIEN?DAttach the sail so that it’s exactly

perpendicular to the hulls of the catamaran. Then blow
on the sail from behind. Compare the speed of the
catamaran now to its speed when the sail was slanted.
You’ll notice that the catamaran is now slower. This is
because the surface of the sail now presents a greater
flow resistance than when it was slanted.

71

LAND YACHT

1 23 5 10 13 14 15 17

14 x 2 x 2 x 4 x 2 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 3 x
39 40
19 23 29 42

3 x 4 x 1 x 1 x 2 x 1 x M4 Sail Car

43 66 67 69 70

1
M4 Sail Car1 x1 x
2 x 1 x 2 x 72 2 X2
75
23 3 X2
71 17

2 xM1 4 Sai1l xCar 1 x 2 X2 17

11 23 2 1177

223 2 X2 3 X223

17

21 7x

17 17

23 4 5

233

4

4 4 23

3 X32 2 x23 5

23 5

223

72

5 On Land and Sea

5

6 5

OD33mm pulley 5 OD33mm pulley
OD33mm pulley
6
40
OD33mm pulley

6

5

OD33mm pulley 55

OD23mm pulley 5 OD33mm pulley

6 35mm axle 40

55

7 OD23mm pulley 35mm axle

7 8OD23mm pu39lley 2935mm axle
7 88
2720mm TIP!

27200mm ttpssPhotiheleieeaccsaekcehctesseh.otoeTnhofthte,faoertedonhtdhlheagleeteetsthbdsiaveagocesmehfesttbtahowopefoeo

8 baeadncgdketshofaenrtohsuetniscdhkettehote.tshteicks,

150mm 220mm

15069mm

150mm

73

9 LAND YACHT 10 TIP!
999 1100 1010 btsbPaatalipmacmekcbbeiuosotossohitnsesitcgtlikicaacikrkndg.ghaeentssodhivbeaeeotttttahaocpvthhee,eritstsothhoetetheuhatpetapltneohdrwetehre
300mm
9
303003m00mm0mm71m
300mm

3003m3000m07m1mmm

11
11111111

string 15cm

string 1s5tcrimng 15cm
72st1ri5ncgm 1of5sctrming

5 Done!

5 5
55
s5tsr5tinring7sg2t1r15i1sn5t5crgscimcnt5mmgr1ino5fgcm15cm

55

74

On Land and Sea

EXPERIMENT 12

Land yacht

YOU WILL NEED

› The assembled land yacht
› The smoothest flooring possible, such as tiles, laminate,
parquet, etc.
› M easuring tape (e.g. the measuring tape you created as

part of the surveyor’s wheel experiment)

HERE’S HOW DID YOU KNOW?

1. Point the front wheel straight ahead and The function carried out by the front wheel here is
set the sails out fully, with the large sail to the right carried out by the rudder on a boat. However, the
and the smaller one to the left. difference is that the rudder is attached to the stern of a
boat. Because of this, steering has a noticeably stronger
2. Now you can blow on the sails from behind. How far effect than if the rudder
does the land yacht travel? were attached to the bow.
The same applies to road
3. Now turn the front wheel a little to the left and measure vehicles. Forklifts, for
how far the land yacht travels again. example, have steerable
wheels at the back and
4. How far does the yacht go when the front wheel is front, as this makes them
turned a little to the right? much more maneuverable.

WHAT’S HAPPENING KEY CONCEPT: BOW AND STERN

When you blow on the sail, you exert a The terms bow and stern are seafaring terms. The bow
force on the sail. This force can be is the front part of a boat while the stern is the back part
calculated by multiplying the pressure of the boat. Two other terms come up in the nautical
difference by the surface area. This is context: port and starboard. When looking from the
what enables the land yacht to take off. stern to the bow, starboard is on the right and port is on
When the front wheel is pointing the left. If you only used “left” and “right” when on a
boat, you would quickly get confused, because they
straight, the yacht will travel straight change depending on which direction you’re facing. With
ahead — even when the sails are at an port and starboard, everyone is always clear about
angle. This is due to the position of the direction, regardless of which way they’re facing.
wheel. However, when the wheel is
slanted at an angle, the land yacht Starboard

also goes in this direction. As the sails Bow Stern
are different sizes, the yacht travels
better to the left than it does to Port
the right.

WAONUTT TMOOFRIEN?DTry out your land

yacht on a windy day outdoors
using a smooth surface.

75

JET BOAT

27 8 17 20

18 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x

22 23 53 54

2 x 2 x 6 x 4 x

55 56 61 62

2 xM1 J1e x t B1o x at 1 x
1 63 265
M164 Jet Bo1a x t
1 M11 x Jet B1o x at 2

1 1 M1 Jet Boat 2 2
12

10cm tube

1506 c1m0-ctmubtuebe

10cm tube

10cm tube

3 4

3 4
4
3
3 4

3 4

2222 22 17
22
1177
22 17

17

76

17 6 On Land and Sea

5 6 22
6 17
5
8 2222
5 1177

233

23

7

7

23

8 8

9 10 X2

2233

77

7 JET BOAT 8 23
23
9 10 X2
23
9 10 X2 23

9 10
9
10 X2 2 x
9
1111 10 X2

11
11

11

Done!

78

On Land and Sea

EXPERIMENT 13

Jet boat

YOU WILL NEED

› The assembled jet boat
› A large water container, e.g. a filled bathtub

or a paddling pool, etc.

HERE’S HOW

1. Place the jet boat on the water and make sure the KEY CONCEPT: MOMENTUM
clamp is securely attached to the nozzle of the
pressurized air tank. Like mass and energy, momentum is a
physical quantity that doesn’t change.
2. Now pump air into the pressurized air tank (pump To find the momentum of an object, you
between 30 and 50 times). multiply its mass by its velocity. If an object’s
momentum changes over time, it means a force is being
3. Now when you remove the clamp, the air will flow out exerted. Now you can understand why the boat
and propel the boat forward.
accelerates more quickly when it
4. Try this a few times. has water in its tank. The density
of the water is around 850 times
5. Unscrew the pressurized air tank, half-fill it with water higher than that of air.
and reattach the tank to the boat.

6. Now seal the nozzle with the clamp and pump again
(pump between 30 and 50 times).

7. When the clamp is removed, a combination of air and DID YOU KNOW? FR O2
water flows out. Is the boat any faster now than it was
before? The same principle is used in jet engines
and rockets. In this case, a combustible
8. Adjust the nozzle and check out what happens. material, like kerosene or hydrogen, is
burned and the exhaust gases are

accelerated as a result of passing

WHAT’S HAPPENING through a nozzle. Once the ratio of H2
internal to external pressure is a little FG H2O
higher than two, the air in the

The air accelerates as it flows out of the narrowest parts of the nozzle

nozzle. The force that occurs in the reaches the speed of sound.

process also affects the boat. This is

known as the law of action and WAONUTT MTOOFRIEN?DIf you build a small rocket using the pressurized
reaction. In this case, it doesn’t
actually matter whether or not the air air tank and a small frame, you can test whether the momentum
hits the water. When a combination of of the air-water combination is enough to allow the rocket to take
air and water flows out of the nozzle, off in a vertical position. This is best done outside in an open green
space. Once again, half-fill the pressurized air tank with water and
as opposed to just water alone, the pump air into it. If you now hold the rocket upright, so that water
force becomes noticeably stronger. can escape downward from the nozzle, there’s a good chance that
This accelerates the boat much more the rocket might take off.
quickly. As the nozzle is movable,
you can use it to steer the boat.

79

SUBMARINE AND PUMPING STATION

1 25 8 9 10 12 14

31 x 17 x 3 x 2 x 2 x 4 x 7 x 5 x

16 17 20 21 22 25

2 x 3 x 4 x 2 x 6 x 2 x

26 29 35 45 49 53

2 x 3 x 5 x 1 x 6 x

54 55 56 57 2 x

58

41M6  x1xMM2M21 Sx222Su 6x2SuSbubumbmbam2m1 xa6r 3xiraanirn1re ixine6n5 1ee x 1 x

1 77 2
22
11 2 x
1
35mm axle 22

1 35m35mmamxleaxle

3529mm axle

3 3 4 4 X2
4 4X2X2
33
3 42 xX2

5 80 6
66

6 On Land and Sea
66
5

5

5

7 X47 X774 X4 8 88 8

4 x 8 9 XX922 X2
7 X4
9
9
9 X2

2 x

10 10

0 1010 60cm566t0uc6bm0e-ctmutbuebe

60cm tu6b0cem tube 60cm6t0uc5bm6e6t0u-bcme tube
6600ccmm ttuubbee
11 11 12 12
81

60cm tube

1111 SUBMARINE AND PUMPING STATION

12 12
12

1133 35mm axle 14

35mm axle 29 5
5
15 1177

17 14 1177 14
17

5

16

55

82 17

15 14 5
15 15
17 On Land and Sea
15
55

17 16

5

16

15 16 16 5

17 17

35mm axle 17 17 16

35mm3a5xmlem axle29

17 17 18
171717 18 18
35mm axle
17
18

18

A

83

SUBMARINE AND PUMPING STATION 20 20

1199 19 20

19 20

20 22
22
2211 21
22 22 222
21 2222
222222 22
22 22
22
2222

22
22

22 22

22
22

22

84

23 23 22 22 24 On Land and Sea
22 24 24
222333 22 24
22 2244
23 22
22
222
22
222

25
25
25 25
2255

B

2255ccmm 22tt5uu5-bbccmeemtutbue be56 25cm tube
25cm tube

26 26 55

26 226626 5 5
5

5

85

27 SUBMARINE AND PUMPING STATION A

27 27 B

Done!

86

On Land and Sea

EXPERIMENT 14

Submarine and pumping Submarine
station
Pumping
YOU WILL NEED station

› The assembled submarine and pumping station Pontoons Air-and-
› A water container, e.g. a large bucket or a plastic tub, etc. water
› 125 grams of washers, or 22 quarters (coins), for ballast tank

HERE’S HOW WHAT’S HAPPENING

1. For the submarine to submerge, you have to If a submarine is of equal weight to the right and the
prepare it as described below. left, gravitational and buoyant forces will
balance each other out. If water enters
a. Add the ballast (e.g. washers or coins), weighing the submarine’s tank at this point, then the
about 125 g, to the two ballast tanks, to the left and
right of the red gear, so that the submarine stays gravitational force will increase and exceed the
horizontal. At around 125 g of ballast, the pontoons buoyant force. This causes the submarine to sink.
should still be just about visible above the water. When the submarine is surfacing, air is reintroduced
into the tank, which displaces the water — the
b. Now, using the pumping station, half-fill the tank submarine becomes lighter and can ascend.
with water and reattach it to the submarine.
FBL
c. Move the switch to the center position and pump Submarine
between 20 and 25 times.
Water in FG
d. To submerge the submarine, hold the pumping the tank
station with the tube connections pointing
downward and move the switch; it doesn’t matter
what direction you move it in.

2. To allow the submarine to surface again, move the
switch to the center position and pump between 25 and
30 times. As you’re doing this, the pumping station must
be positioned so that the tube connection is pointing
upwards. Then you can move the switch.

3. To resubmerge the vessel, water must be pumped into
the submarine’s tank again. This means that you must
move the switch to the center position, half-fill the tank
with water again if necessary, hold the pump station
pointing downwards, and then move the switch.

DID YOU KNOW?

Modern submarines are high-tech vessels. This is why they are able to
stay under water for weeks at a time. Air and water are treated and
recycled, so that the sailors can live there on a daily basis. Submarines
are driven by high-powered electric engines. During submersion, these
engines are powered by a nuclear reactor or batteries. When a submarine
is traveling near the surface, diesel generators are generally used.

87

CHECK IT OUT

The reaction
principle …

… it isn’t necessary for a vehicle (such as a jet
boat, or a rocket, etc.) to direct its jet stream
against something solid. The matter leaving the
vehicle through the nozzle is sufficient by itself. The vehicle effectively pushes off
the jet stream itself. This is why jet engines can also be used in space, where
there’s almost no matter at all.

LIKE A FISH IN THE SEA

Istamtho’lsaoeiitantmcngnapsotnohterhemdteadhonbiuvetoleslaf.oeatEra’rsdesaediflnbioyegorstmaihnctereatoduohuswahgesahhftvletooenhweeatxhwrpseeteasrcneitusedatrrmarm.enTlnocihntreiees,fldweeonnhwhesuiusrclghrley, s.

Do you know the difference between pneumatics and hydraulics?

Essentially, they both describe the same thing; namely
transport of a fluid (a word for both liquids and gases)
from one place to another through a conduit in order
to carry out a particular task. Both terms originate
from the language of the Ancient Greeks. Pneumatics
is concerned with air (pneumo) while hydraulics is
concerned with fluids such as water (hydro) and oil.

88

On Land and Sea

Lookout FULL SPEED AHEAD

How do sailors in submarines Submarines are powered by
see what’s happening above the electric engines. The energy
surface of water without needed to power these engines
ascending? Submarines have a comes either from diesel
periscope for exactly this reason. generators, nuclear reactors, or
This is made out of a pipe and batteries. When the submarine is
two mirrors, which are attached on a dive, it doesn’t have any
to the inside of the pipe at an spare air for burning diesel, so
angle. The lower mirror is batteries or nuclear reactors are
located in the submarine while used. Above water, this isn’t a
the other one is above the problem, so diesel generators can
surface of the water. If you look
into the lower mirror, you’ll see a be used.
reflection of what’s above the
water, i.e. what’s shown in the
upper mirror. If lenses are added,
it can even act as a telescope.

89

Up in the Air

Since ancient times, humans have been fascinated by flying. Some clever people — such
as Leonardo da Vinci, for example — studied the flight of birds and designed flying
machines. But it was Otto Lilienthal who, in 1891, first managed to fly longer distances —
several hundred meters in this case. Since then, progress has been made at a terrific pace.
These experiments let you try out for yourself the many things that need to be kept in
mind when flying.

90

Up in the Air

SYCAMORE MAPLE SEEDS

1 2 14 Ma15ple Seed

M13 1 M13 Maple S

1 2 x 1 x 2 x 1 x

53 54 67

2 X2

1 x M69 M11 x313MM4a x appleleSSeeeedd 220mm 150mm

11 2 x 75 2X

70 M13 Maple Seed

1 2 x 1 x 2 X23 X2

2 X2

1 2 2 X2220mm 2 x 150mm 220mm

3 X2 220mm 150mm

70 69

4 220mm 150mm

33 X2 4

3 X2 TIP!
3 X2 Place the edges of the
sheet onto the bamboo 4

2 x sptiiec4ckess. Then attach two
of adhesive tape
to each of the edges of
4the sheet, roll these

edges around the sticks,
abnadcktho4efnthsetischketeot.the

Done!

91

EXPERIMENT 15

Sycamore maple seeds

YOU WILL NEED

› The assembled sycamore maple seed glider
› A chair

HERE’S HOW

1. Rotate the wings so that they are both slanted upwards
in the same way.

2. Now stand on a chair and hold the glider around the
center.

3. Stretch out your arm and let the glider fall.
4. Now set the wings horizontally and let the glider fall

again.

WHAT’S HAPPENING KEY CONCEPT:
AUTOROTATION
When you let the glider fall, the force of gravity pulls it to the ground.
At the same time, the air flows along the diagonally positioned wings When a sycamore maple seed
and exerts a force on the glider. This causes the glider to rotate. When falls and begins to rotate,
the wings are in a horizontal position, the seed will just fall, swaying this is called autorotation.
its way to the floor. This is because the air can no longer flow along “Auto” means “by itself.”
In the natural world, this
a slope, meaning that the force required for rotation is absent. property is extremely useful.
Rotation reduces the speed at
DID YOU KNOW? which the seed falls. This buys
it some time to be carried
The same principle is at work away by the wind and
when you drive a screw into allows the maple tree to
wood, for example. The distribute its seed across
difference here is that the a much wider area.
force that drives the rotation
is applied via the screwdriver,
and the slanting threads then
cause the screw to bore
through the wood.

When a helicopter’s main engine malfunctions, the rotor will begin to
turn as it falls. This slows down the fall.

92

Up in the Air

HANG GLIDER

12 11 12

6 x 1 x 1 x 2 x

14 17 19

1 x 1 x 1 x

21 66 67

2M x 1MM171111 xMH111aHH21n xaagHnn7g5agglngigdglilegdidrleiderer r
3 x 1 x
11
3 1 11 22
222

110 mm

33 300mm
33 731 00mm
300m3m00mm
17
177
17 17

4
4

300mm 93
300mm

4 HANG GLIDER 300m7m1

5 4
5
37100mm
5
6 6TPseatttlaIhhriaPocceeckhu!semsnhot.diefhTdetethdthhele.eeeUndessgsadttietinigcsctgaekkoscsafth,oontafhtotnwtethdhheoseethuprhseniehteedwnetceeeoosrtstns,sioicrttdorfkheilapetloodsotfhhotutheefthsseeteieravbspbeeahdeacte,gmakeaeptobts.etfoatocoh
5 6

6

Done!

94

Up in the Air

EXPERIMENT 16

Hang glider 18 cm
45°
YOU WILL NEED

› The assembled hang glider
› A chair

HERE’S HOW

1. In order to balance the glider correctly, the trim weight
must be placed about 18 cm behind the nose and the
base must lowered at an angle of 45°.

2. Stand on a chair and launch the hang glider forward.

WHAT’S HAPPENING DID YOU KNOW?

Higher speed Lower pressure Real-life gliders work
in exactly the same way. They
Lower speed Higher pressure need a “push-start,” either from
When you release the hang glider, the air flows an aircraft with an engine, or
along the underside and over the top of the from a cable winch that’s used
wings. As the air has further to travel along to accelerate the glider and
launch it into the air. When a winch is used, the engine
the top than it does along the underside, it that’s propelling it stays on the ground. If the glider is
must flow faster over the top. This lowers the going fast enough, the cable is released and the loose
air pressure, exerting a force upwards — this end falls back to the ground on a little parachute.
lift force acts against the force of gravity. If
gravity didn’t exist, the glider would KEY CONCEPT: THERMALS

continue to fly until its entire movement When the weather is right for gliding,
was completely stopped by air friction. pilots can use warm updrafts of air, or
thermals, to fly for hours. As the sun
warms the Earth’s surface, the warm air
rises and provides the glider with more
energy for flying.

WAONU tDTTuo rTMensOtOthheFRetIEgrNil?miDdewWrefhilgyahtitnhtaaopctphueernvlsee?wftThoryerntitoyotouhute!right? Warm updraft
= thermal

95

HELICOPTER

1 2 5 7 12 14 16 17 20 21

36 x 10 x 5 x 1 x 4 x 5 x 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x

22 23 25 26 29 30 31

6 x 4 x 2 x 2 x 3 x 1 x 1 x
49

32 35 37 39 40 42 43 45 48

M1M01H0eHliecolicpotperter1 2 x
50
4 x 1 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 1 x 1 x

53 54 55 56 57 58 59

1 1 x 1 x 1 x
MM101H0 eHleicliocpotpetrer4 x4 x2 x
1 x 79
61 62 63 265 1 x 80
60 268 78
1 x
1 11 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 23
1 x 1 x 1 x 1 x 23

1 22 2 233
23

33 4 44

33 3 44

22 2222

22 22 5 55
55
96

5

Up in the Air

55 35mm35amxl2em9 axle 6 66

5 39 5 5

39

7 7X2X2 2 x 55 88
555 888
7

77 XX22

35m35mmamxleaxle 100mm1a0x0lemm axle
110000mmmmaaxxlele
29
32
3355mmmmaaxxlele
OD3O3Dm3m3mpumllepyulley

40

OODD3333mmmmppuullleleyy

9 99 10 10
99 10

1100

2222 22
2222

11 97