Kōkiri Lab
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Motion and Energy — What investigators are finding

Convert stored energy into useful movement

These are anonymised patterns from investigations across Kokiri Lab. They are not individual student work.

Current discoveries

Surface type affected distance more than expected

Several groups found that changing from smooth to rough surfaces reduced distance more than changing elastic band count.

Evidence: In side-by-side comparisons, the same car and band setup travelled noticeably less on rougher surfaces, even when groups expected band count to dominate the result.

What it might mean

Rolling resistance and traction changes can absorb energy quickly. If surface isn’t controlled, it can hide or exaggerate design effects.

Try this next: Measure the same car on two surfaces with identical elastic band setup before changing anything else.

early pattern

More elastic bands increased power but reduced consistency

Groups using more elastic bands often achieved greater distance, but their results varied more between trials.

Evidence: Across saved runs, cars with higher band counts tended to have higher peak distance, but also a wider spread between best and worst trials within the same setup.

What it might mean

The extra energy from more bands may cause wheel slip or an uneven release, adding variability even when distance increases.

Try this next: Test the same number of bands with a lighter chassis to separate band count from car mass.

seen across groups

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