Lesson 16 of 84 · Waves
Experiment⭐ 30 XPEngineering Constraints and Criteria
Engineering Constraints and Criteria.
🎯 Your mission
Run the experiment. Find out what really happens.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Engineers must consider constraints (limitations like cost, time, and materials) and criteria (requirements the solution must meet) when designing solutions to problems.
Key Words
- constraint
- criteria
- test
Materials Needed
- scissors
- straws
- paper clips
Safety First
- Adult supervision recommended.
Steps
Read about Waves and write down three key facts.
Conduct a design challenge: build a car powered only by a balloon. Measure how far it travels and iterate on your design at least twice.
Watch carefully for any changes and note the time.
Create a data table to organize your measurements.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What is peer review?
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
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