What are the real world applications of building a cardboard boat? Recently I built a cardboard boat for my physics class. Part of the report asks for real-world applications of the physics used in building a cardboard boat, or the applications of the knowledge learned in general. What are some applications related to cardboard boats?
The question isn’t asking about the real world applications of a cardboard boat but "of the physics used in building a cardboard boat". So what physics did you use?
Not knowing what you did, I would suggest some of the following as possibilities:
1. Analysis of forces – beams for the structure of the boat, resisting the water pressure along the sides of the boat, etc.
2. Use of structures (trusses, etc.) rather than homogeneous materials (If you used corrugated cardboard or layers, etc.)
3. Use of curvature or folds (i.e. structure vs. material)
4. Analysis of performance – power requirements and speed; carrying capacity, wetted surface drag vs, form drag vs. wave drag, etc.
5. Analysis of materials (if you did anything special to make the boat waterproof, etc.)
So, what kind of cardboard boat did you build? What problems did you have to solve? How did you solve them? And how would the methods you used and /or the solutions you cam up with, transfer to other, real-world, applications?
November 20th, 2009 | 
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What are the real world applications of building a cardboard boat?
Recently I built a cardboard boat for my physics class. Part of the report asks for real-world applications of the physics used in building a cardboard boat, or the applications of the knowledge learned in general. What are some applications related to cardboard boats?
The question isn’t asking about the real world applications of a cardboard boat but "of the physics used in building a cardboard boat". So what physics did you use?
Not knowing what you did, I would suggest some of the following as possibilities:
1. Analysis of forces – beams for the structure of the boat, resisting the water pressure along the sides of the boat, etc.
2. Use of structures (trusses, etc.) rather than homogeneous materials (If you used corrugated cardboard or layers, etc.)
3. Use of curvature or folds (i.e. structure vs. material)
4. Analysis of performance – power requirements and speed; carrying capacity, wetted surface drag vs, form drag vs. wave drag, etc.
5. Analysis of materials (if you did anything special to make the boat waterproof, etc.)
6. Notions of buoyancy and stability (metacentric height, etc.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacentric_height
So, what kind of cardboard boat did you build? What problems did you have to solve? How did you solve them? And how would the methods you used and /or the solutions you cam up with, transfer to other, real-world, applications?
But if you are really interested in real-world applications of cardboard boats, there is a regular cardboard kayak race:
http://www.canoekayak.com/features/paddling-news/cardboard/
http://www.kayakzak.com/articles/sponsorship.php
Then there are a number of generic cardboard boat races and regattas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardboard_boat_race
http://www.gcbr.com/port.html
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/206158/
http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Design/index.cgi/noframes/read/1517
Here is a page about a cardboard boat built by people who didn’t know their physics:
http://www.lakeviewford.com/boat/
References :