Cable Dunk
By Cade Rudolph
Summer Fun
It was a warm August day when we started building our zipline. There would be a platform built in our backyard on a tree next to the pond, from which you would jump. We already had the base of the platform built in the garage, and we used a pulley system to get it in place. After a few minutes of suspending the frame in the air, my dad drilled on a board to lock it in place. After securing the frame we started to add wood to the bottom for flooring, as well as drilling in the corner pieces. All me and Braeden did during that time was wait and hold the ladder. Next, over the course of a few days, we drilled on the supports. By we, I mean my dad and my brother, Tucker, while me and my other brother held the supports from below. After we finished those, the only thing left was to put up the line, which was done by anchoring the line to two trees across from each other and then tightening a vice. In the end, we had a lot of fun sliding down that zipline and dropping into the pond.
Look at Me
Construction
A photo of construction slightly resembling what me and my family did.
Ziplining
A photo showing what zip lining is like
The Science of it
I Wonder...
- Is there a way to better support the platform?
- How much force would be required for the platform to give?
- How much force would be required for the tree to give?
- What would the weight limit be for the zipline?
Citations
N/A. “Applying Newton's Three Laws.” SparkNotes, SparkNotes, 0ADAD, www.sparknotes.com/physics/dynamics/newtonapplications/ssection3.rhtml?scrlybrkr=a28a78df. Accessed 14 Sept. 2017.
Tamara. “Q & A: Distribution of Weight.” Q & A: Distribution of Weight | Department of Physics | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dep. of Physics, 22 Oct. 2007, van.physics.illinois.edu/qa/listing.php?id=28. Accessed 14 Sept. 2017.
Pexels, N/A N/A. “Construction Images.” Free Stock Photos, Pexels, 0ADAD, www.pexels.com/search/construction/.
Panigrahi, Subhashish N/A. 30 Mar. 2013.