We decided to modify the original design because it was a flimsy design with only three wheels and barely any room for a breadboard. We added a gear system with a IMA of 1 to drive both of the back wheels at the same time, rather than the front wheel pulling the car. We also put two wheels in the front to make the car more stable all together.
With the circuit we decided to use a series circuit rather than a parallel circuit, because based on the information found in the 1.3.1 activity, the series circuit is more efficient than parallel circuit.
Develop a Solution
Final Design
Circuit Design
Construct and Test Prototype
Evaluate the Solution
Throughout the Good Car project I became much more comfortable with using and putting together the VEX components, I also learned how to correctly wire a breadboard. While I still struggle with the circuitry sometimes it is helpful to have a general understanding of the wiring. I can use the things I learned about wiring solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells and batteries in any of the projects we do in the future.
Our car was the slowest in our class, it was probably too heavy and did not a have a large enough gear ratio.
In the beginning of the project we decided to completely change up the design from the original design, and that was probably our first mistake, we widened the base to fit a hydrogen fuel cell, made the back wheels the driving force, and added a second wheel in the front car. To drive both of the back wheels at the same time we use a gear train connected to the motor.
Our biggest mistake was the small gear we had attached to the motor, creating a smaller gear ratio which is why our car was as slow as it was. However after realizing our mistake it was too late in the project to try to come up with a solution so we had to leave the car the way it was.
Present Solution
Final Design
Electrical energy production through renewable energy sources is whats healthy and efficient for the earth, but there are often more productive sources of energy. While Solar Panels and Hydrogen Fuel Cells certainly create energy, it is minimal compared to the energy created by nonrenewable sources such as oil or coal. Renewable sources of energy also often require a larger "chassis" to create the energy from the source, also weather and season needs to be taken into account with certain renewable energy sources, especially Solar energy. Which is why we do not use them as often as people would like, but at the moment nonrenewable energy sources are far more efficient and reliable than renewable sources.