Physics project brainstorming.

[Shenziku]

Basically, I have to work on a physics project that would help my grade pretty well if I manage to do it good enough.


The object of this project is to create some sort of windmill that will stand in the middle of two tables. A fan will be blowing on it from the angle of my choosing, causing it to spin as fast as I can make it spin. This spinning is supposed to power some sort of mechanism I create to reel in a string that is hanging from the windmill with a 200 gram weight attached to it. The object of the challenge is to reel the weight in to the table's height from the ground.

Also, I cannot use pre-assembled parts.


Who wants to go ahead and brainstorm with me?

[gh0st]

I actually did A+ at the brainstorm class glad u had me here 

[The_Falcon_Wolf]

First and foremost, that isn't 'exactly' a windmill...

It's just a device, with a propeller, which winds a thread as it rotates.

Ok. I'll tell you what you basically need.

1) a strong base for the structure - common sense suggests that if you have to raise a 200g wt, the angular speed of the fan being used must be high. But that shouldn't topple over the structure. What you can do is, from the axle of the propeller, just take out two extensions amd clamp them onto the two benches. That's a strong base.

2) light weight, yet a sturdy material for the propeller - also, if the propellers are decently long, then the overall torque on them will be high, causing a greater rotating tendency.

3) a compact weight - which is evenly distributed over it's volume. And also a strong thread...

Ps - for the propellers, I'd suggest you go into one of these hobby-idea stores and check out some aeromodelling propellers...

That's the basics! The remaining is about creativity... And discussion!