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Wheels
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Skateboarding Episode 102
  
1) Skateboard Geometry
The wheels of a Rollerblade form a line. The wheels of a skateboard
form a rectangle. Can you imagine a skateboard where the wheels
form a triangle? A circle? Make some predictions about how the position
of the wheels and the distance between them affect speed and manueverablitiy.
Build and test different skateboards using identical materials
and explore your predictions, changing only the distance between
wheels or the position.
2) Inside Scooters
Get two or three different scooters and compare the wheel width
and diameter. What are the wheels made of? What type of bearing
is used?
How do these differences affect the speed or smoothness of the
ride? Compare two-wheeled scooters with three-wheeled scooters.
Which is faster, easier to stop or steer, more stable? Why?
3) Bike Check
Compare the wheels on a mountain bike with the wheels on a racing
bicycle. How are they different and why? Make predictions about
why the treads are different. Does the tread affect traction?
Speed? Test your ideas. OR, compare the spokes on the two kinds
of wheels. Do you think the number of spokes makes any difference
in how fast the wheel can spin or how stable it is? Why? Test
your ideas. OR, how do the number of gears and the number of teeth
on the gears affect speed and power? Gears are wheels too!
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