Reflection

        We tried out several  ideas that  did not work out as planned. One idea was that we tried to add Popsicle sticks vertically as fins. This did not work and was quickly changed because it did not leave enough room for the balloon and would not be effective as a fin.  Another idea we tried was hot gluing the balloon to the car. This did not work and broke before the first trial, so it was replaced with tape. Yet another idea that was not successful was our  method of gluing the wheels onto the axles.  We used hot glue which moved when drying causing the wheels to be crooked resulting in crashes for both trials.

        Some of the ideas that we tried, worked properly and did their job well. One of these ideas was the nozzle for the balloon which worked by directing and maintaining a more steady and reliable flow of air. Another idea that worked well was the small pieces of tooth picks that we attached to the axles. They prevented the straw from rubbing the wheels and causing friction. A third idea that worked was what we used for the wheels. They were small enough that they could move easily, yet wide enough so that they would not slip.

        The most valuable part of this learning experiences for me was learning how to make the car roll smoothly and quickly, as well as making it more aerodynamic and discovering new ways to design the vehicle.