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Build a ramp

Build a ramp
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Build a ramp using cardboard, books, and tape to test how slope affects how fast toy cars or marbles travel while measuring distance and time.

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Step-by-step guide to build a ramp to test how slope affects toy car or marble speed

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How to build a ramp

What you need
Adult supervision required, books, cardboard, masking tape or marker, notebook, pencil, ruler or measuring tape, stopwatch or timer, tape, toy car or marble

Step 1

Gather all the materials listed and bring them to a clear floor space.

Step 2

Clear a flat area on the floor so you have room for the ramp and a run-out.

Step 3

Prop one end of the cardboard on a stack of books to make an incline ramp.

Step 4

Use tape to secure the cardboard to the top book and the floor so the ramp will not slide.

Step 5

Measure the length of the ramp along the cardboard from top to bottom and write the length in your notebook.

Step 6

Measure the vertical height from the floor to the top edge of the ramp and write the height in your notebook.

Step 7

Calculate the slope by dividing the height by the ramp length and write the slope value in your notebook.

Step 8

Put a piece of masking tape or a marker line at the top edge to make a clear starting line.

Step 9

Measure 100 cm from the bottom of the ramp and stick a piece of tape there to make a finish line (if you cannot fit 100 cm use the farthest distance you can and write that distance).

Step 10

Place your toy car or marble touching the starting line at the top of the ramp.

Step 11

Ask a helper to stand by the finish line with the stopwatch ready to start and stop.

Step 12

Release the car or marble without pushing it while the helper starts the stopwatch the instant you let go.

Step 13

Have the helper stop the stopwatch the instant the car or marble crosses the finish line tape.

Step 14

Write the time in your notebook and calculate the speed by dividing the distance (the finish distance you measured) by the time; record the speed and any notes.

Step 15

Repeat Steps 3–14 two more times using different ramp heights to collect results for different slopes and then share your finished creation and results on DIY.org.

Final steps

You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!

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Help!?

What can we use if we don't have the cardboard, a stack of books, masking tape, or a stopwatch?

If you don't have cardboard use sturdy poster board, thin plywood, or folded corrugated boxes for the ramp, replace the stack of books with a small stool or shoebox, use painter's tape or duct tape to secure the ramp, and use a smartphone timer instead of a stopwatch.

My ramp keeps sliding or the car veers off—what should I check and fix?

Follow Step 4 by taping the cardboard firmly to the top book and the floor, add weight to the book stack or put a non‑slip mat under the base, make sure the ramp edges are aligned straight, and practice releasing the toy car at the masking‑tape starting line without pushing for consistent times.

How can I change the activity to suit younger children or older kids?

For younger children simplify Steps 5–7 by measuring together and using larger toy cars while counting seconds aloud, and for older kids have them calculate slope in their notebook, run multiple trials at different heights, and compare speeds numerically.

How can we extend or personalize the experiment after completing the three trials?

Decorate the cardboard ramp, test different surface materials (like sandpaper, foil, or cloth) and different toys to study friction and how slope affects speed, record and graph the results in your notebook, and then share photos and findings on DIY.org as in Step 15.

Watch videos on how to build a ramp to test how slope affects toy car or marble speed

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Ramps: A Super, Simple Machine! - #sciencegoals

4 Videos

Facts about forces and motion

📦 Folded and taped cardboard can be very strong and smooth, making it a great, low-cost material for building ramps.

🎯 Small changes like the ramp surface (smooth tape vs rough cardboard) or wheel condition often affect speed more than small weight changes.

📏 Steeper ramps make toy cars and marbles accelerate faster, so they'll travel the same distance in less time.

🛷 The inclined plane is one of the six classical simple machines — people have used ramps for moving heavy loads since ancient times!

🧱 You can change a ramp's angle quickly by stacking books—the taller the stack, the steeper the slope.

How do I build a simple ramp to test how slope affects toy car or marble speed?

Start by propping a sturdy piece of cardboard on a stack of books to form a ramp and secure the top with tape so it won’t slip. Mark a fixed release line at the top and a finish line on the floor. Release a toy car or marble without pushing, measure distance traveled and time with a ruler and stopwatch, then repeat three times at each slope. Change book height to test different angles, record averages for comparison.

What materials do I need to build a cardboard ramp experiment?

You’ll need a flat piece of cardboard or foam board, several books or boxes to change ramp height, strong tape or clamps to secure the top, toy cars and/or marbles, a ruler or tape measure, a stopwatch or phone timer, masking tape to mark start and finish lines, paper and pencil for data, and optional protractor and scale to measure angles and weights for more precise results.

What ages is the ramp slope experiment suitable for?

This activity works for preschoolers through teens with adjustments. Ages 4–6 can explore ramps with adult setup and supervised rolling play; ages 7–10 can measure distance and time with help recording results; ages 11+ can run controlled trials, calculate speed and compare slopes independently. Always supervise young children, keep small marbles away from toddlers, and adjust complexity to match your child’s attention and math skills.

What are some variations and safety tips for the ramp slope activity?

Try changing ramp surfaces (sandpaper, cloth, foil) to test friction, use different ramp lengths or heights, race two cars on parallel ramps, time acceleration using intermediate marks, or create data charts and graphs. For older kids, calculate average speeds and plot slope versus speed. Keep experiments safe by securing the ramp, clearing the run area, and avoiding small parts around young children.
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