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Ideas for Simple Machines & Energy Sources for a Rube Goldberg Machine

A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex contraption that uses many different steps to perform a simple task. For example, a machine takes 30 steps to flip a hamburger. These steps often employ a variety of mechanical and natural power sources to operate with limited, but not forbidden, use of electricity. The various steps use the power sources to complete the task.

Simple Machines
- There are six types of simple machines: lever, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, screw and wheel-and-axle. A series of these steps make up the bulk of the Rube Goldberg machines. For example, an inclined plane can help roll an object to another part of the machine, a lever and pulley can move an object to different heights, and a wheel and axle can be part of a power source.
Gravity
- An object falling from a height gains speed and momentum using the force of gravity. The heavier the object, and the greater the falling distance, creates more force when it hits the ground. This force can propel an object or remove a barrier and move the machine forward to the next step.
Motor
- Engineers of the machines may use small electric motors to provide long-standing power for a task that other power sources cannot complete, such as moving an item to the top of the machine or constantly spinning a wheel. A single motor is not used to power the entire machine, but instead powers only one or two steps of the whole.
Spring
- A spring is a convenient power source for a Rube Goldberg machine because it can pack a significant amount of force in a small space. A coiled spring can propel an object a great distance or at a high rate of speed. The spring is coiled behind something, such as a gate, to keep it from prematurely springing. When the gate is removed, the spring uncoils and propels the object.

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