BRIEF

Gravity Table: This proposed museum exhibit piece creates a dynamic hands-on experience for visitors to learn about gravity. It uses simple machines to generate the affect that varying gravitational pulls other planets would have on an everyday object.

Cultivating ideas for this project resulted in many different ideas, including a vest to simulate weight change on other planets. The idea eventually morphed into a table which held everyday objects such as, a water-bottle, a pencil, and a hammer. One after another, cardboard models were broken and re-designed.This process resulted with the Gravity Table. at first it was gonna hose many different objects but the table designed was not large enough for this process so a singular object would be the example, or at least that's what we planned. Day after day, the search for new methods to alter an object's weight were recorded and tested. These tests included different types of pulley systems?, until the design was discovered in a physics meeting. A lever utilizes the input of force to make something heavier. The first prototype for this new design was made using a pencil, string, paint stick, and a fulcrum. Once a cardboard model of the lever design was created and successfully tested,   the creation of a more robust, wooden lever and 3D-printed fulcrum began.

 The second class lever was used in this project because it allows adjustment to be made to an object's weight when lifted. The second class lever placed the fulcrum to the far side of the lever in order to maximize the amount of space needed to edit an objects weight. Mounting the fulcrum and lever to the table then led  to the next step in the design process: a flashy design to hide the machines inside and create an aura of mystery with the project and the calculation of the placement of notches on a panel to allow for a weight change. The calculations easily more difficult took multiple weeks and ended up being right on time as the last of the optical stimulating panels was printed and applied to the table. The notched panel was designed, laser cut and hand-painted.  However, one challenge remained. The notches where not tall enough to allow  the object that rested on the table to move when lifted but  the panel notches were adjusted accordingly using a jig-saw. To complete the final process, the adjustable weight was created and placed in its rightful throne . The goal to make learning about or educating others on gravity a more hands-on  experience, had been done and in an elaborate manner in that met standards higher than what we set for the project. The presentation was nearly flawless and the feedback collected was genuine. From there the creation of a brief and the closing of High School careers,  what's next?