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How to Make a SIMPLE Rube Goldberg Machine - Become a Beginner

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Named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883-1970), Rube Goldberg Machine is a deliberately over-engineered or overdone machine that performs a very simple task in a very complicated fashion, usually including a chain reaction.

Rube Goldberg machine is a fascinating and fun way to put your creativeness to good use. There are even competitions held each year, in which college students build devices to complete a simple task in a minimum of twenty steps. The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is sometimes also called the "Olympics of Complexity".

Enjoy these Rube Goldberg Machine Ideas and share your most favorite ones with others.

Makes Breakfast with Rube Goldberg Machine

Designed by Yuri Suzuki and Masa Kimura, the Breakfast Machine will make you a complete meal consisting of omelets, coffee, orange juice and toast with jam. The steps are annotated with chalk.

Small Rube Goldberg Machine in Briefcases

With the ability to fit inside two old briefcases, Melvin the mini Machine shows the same careful and intricate Rube Goldberg system carrying out the simple task as inefficiently as possible.

Rube Goldberg Machine Freerunning

This amazingly cool human-powered Rube Goldberg machine is filled with insane obstacles, chain reactions, stunts and excitement. Getting from point A to point B never looked so difficult and awesome.

Rube Goldbergian Light Switch Cover

Etsy's GreenTreeJewelry makes these whimsical, rube goldbergian light-switch covers that let you toggle the switch by means of a delightfully superfluous mechanism.

Rube Goldberg Machine by Jacob Shwirtz

This one will turn on a blue-light to reveal a hidden message in 47 steps. A complete operation summary was provided for the description of 25 seconds of fame, followed by pictures with numbers referring to specific steps in the summary.

Simple Ideas for Rube Goldberg

Use Balloon Popper, Lid Screwer, Fan Runner, Door Opener and many more as a part of your school projects.

Rube Goldberg Interactive Bulletin Board Idea

The instructions of this machine (on the right side of the board) where hidden with construction paper, and the students worked together in pairs to figure out what this board did, and how each step worked.

Rube Goldberg Contraptions

A teacher explains how she did Rube Goldberg Contraptions with her 8th grade class. Idea for a summer-long program with 9-12 kids with showcase at the end.

Rube Goldberg Machine for Kids

Remember Mouse Trap and Domino Rally? DIY a Rube Goldberg Machine with your kids for some indoor fun during a rainstorm.

Rube Goldberg Machine for Wedding

This wedding was about good old fashioned FUN and a whole lot of games. One of the main events was having all the guests help build a Rube Goldberg machine (think the game of Mouse Trap).

Simple Rube Goldberg Machine for Kid

DIY marble maze using pegboard on an incline, colorful rubber bands, and marbles. The goal was to hit and topple as many foam pieces (inside the box) as possible.

13 Steps to Turn the Page of a Book

A complete operation summary was provided. The goal of the 1998 Rube Goldberg contest at the Museum of Scientific Discovery, Harrisburg, was to build a machine (with at least 10 steps) to turn the page of a book.

Rube Goldberg Style Installation Art

This is an art installation that combines Rube Goldberg logic with light, shadows, wooden shapes, found objects, and full motion video.

Rube Goldberg Rain Drainage System

Check out this crazy-cool drainage system on an apartment building in Dresden, Germany.

DIY Marble Run Craft

This peg-board marble run involves creating a clacking, whacking gumball machine that runs without electricity, all with parts found in the kitchen and toy box. A complete operation tutorial was provided.

Rube Goldberg Cake Idea

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16 Cool Rube Goldberg Machine Ideas - Hative

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Named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883-1970), Rube Goldberg Machine is a deliberately over-engineered or overdone machine that performs a very simple task in a very complicated fashion, usually including a chain reaction. Rube Goldberg machine is a fascinating and fun way to put your creativeness to good use.

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A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex contraption designed to complete a simple task. The machine uses a set of tasks that work in succession and trigger one event after another until the final event. It's actually listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an adjective that means "doing something simple in a very complicated way that is not necessary."

Imagine this: Your online school student drops a marble into a paper towel tube chute. The marble slides down and hits a chain of dominoes. The dominoes fall, and the final one hits a small toy car. The car pushes a dog treat off the edge of the table. Success! The family dog snatches up the treat when it falls to the floor.

You might recognize Rube Goldberg machines from TV or movies. Some high school students build them in science class, and some even test their engineering skills by competing in Rube Goldberg machine contests. Building a Rube Goldberg machine is a learning activity that's great for online or traditional school students, and fun for the whole family!

At many schools, like Connections Academy®, Rube Goldberg is a yearly activity integrated into the curriculum. It is an excellent way for online students to explore the world of STEM learning.

Rube Goldberg Ideas

If you're struggling to determine the best way to get started, start with research and inspiration. A Rube Goldberg science project can take on many different shapes and sizes.

Get inspired by Caroline's Guinea Pig Feeder

Creativity knows no bounds with Charlotte's Yahtzee Dice Roller

Here are some additional Rube Goldberg machines that:

How to Plan Your Rube Goldberg Machine in 3 Steps

These machines might not be practical, but they're definitely fun, creative, and educational! Building a Rube Goldberg machine is a great hands-on activity for all ages; plus, it encourages children to flex their STEM muscles. Some thought-starters and instructions are listed below if you'd like to help your children build their own Rube Goldberg machine.

1. Identify Your Rube Goldberg Machine Task

Tasks are the action or end goal you are hoping to achieve at the completion of your Rube Goldberg machine.

Task Ideas: turn off a light, crush a can, drop a bottle in a recycling bin, water a plant, plant seeds in a pot of soil, pop a balloon, fill a glass with water, shut a door, squeeze toothpaste onto a toothbrush, or turn off an alarm clock.

2. Choose Your Supplies

Choosing your supplies is important because they encompass the complexity or simplicity of the machine and how it goes about completing the identified task. Challenge your child to find at least three recyclable materials. Keep in mind that you may change your mind and add or leave out materials during the building process.

Possible materials and items include: aluminum foil, cardboard, water bottles, toilet paper or paper towel tubes, cereal or cake-mix boxes, books, cans, dominoes, funnels, marbles, golf balls, string, buckets, cups or bowls, batteries, and magnets to name a few.

3. Sketch it Out

After you've identified your task and organized materials, begin sketching out your machine before you build it. This will help your child choose the right materials, identify gaps, and assemble a mechanism that works.

How to Build Your Rube Goldberg Machine

1. After the ideation and sketching steps are complete, you can then begin to assemble materials and build your Rube Goldberg machine.

2. Assemble the different parts of your machine, helping your child test each part before moving to the next. Consider these possible actions as you build:

Use circuits to conduct electricity to small motors.

Create a popsicle stick ramp that knocks a series of dominos over that then creates a chain reaction.

Send a soup can rolling and create weighted movement in a pully system like Charlotte.

Utilize household toys or even robots to create actions in your machine.

3. Remember to HAVE FUN!

4. Once the machine is complete, test it to see if it works.

5. Take notes on which parts of the machine work and which ones don't. Does it achieve the task?

6. If something doesn't work, what can you do to make it work next time? Try one small change each time you test it until your amazing machine works!

If you're struggling to choose an experiment for your student's upcoming science fair, Rube Goldberg machines make excellent STEM science fair projects for kids in middle school. From complex processes to fun and creative outputs, everyone is sure to be amazed!

Interested in other STEM projects for kids? Search Connections Academy's Resource Hub for more ideas and activities like this one.

Tuition Free

Ready to learn about the tuition-free, accredited, online public school options in your area? Complete the form below to receive your free online school eGuide today.
Send Me Information

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Steps to Build Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine | Connections Academy

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A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex contraption designed to complete a simple task. The machine uses a set of tasks that work in succession and trigger one event after another until the final event. It's actually listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an adjective that means "doing something simple in a very complicated way that is not necessary."

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Have you ever seen a Rube Goldberg in action? You probably have, even if you didn't know what it was. A Rube Goldberg is a contraption that uses a chain reaction to carry out a task. It performs a very basic job in a complicated way.

Let's look at an example. We'll describe a Rube Goldberg that wipes a person's chin with a napkin. That's a pretty task, right? Well, wait until you hear how the does it!

First, a person picks up a soup spoon. This action pulls a string. That jerks a ladle, which throws a cracker, which shoots past a parrot. The parrot jumps for the cracker, and its perch tilts and drops seeds. The seeds land in a pail. The extra weight in the pail pulls a cord which opens and lights an automatic cigar lighter. This sets off a rocket that causes a sickle to cut a string. This allows a pendulum with a napkin attached to it to swing back and forth to wipe the chin.

Whew! Did you follow that of events? Why on Earth would someone invent such a ? To answer that question, we must take a closer look at Rube Goldberg.

Reuben Lucius "Rube" Goldberg was born on July 4, 1883, in San Francisco, California. As a teen, he loved to draw. He even received some basic art instruction when he worked with a sign painter. Still, he chose not to pursue a career in art. Instead, he went to the University of California at Berkeley. There, he earned his degree in mining engineering.

Goldberg went to work mapping out sewer pipes and water mains in San Francisco. That didn't hold his interest for long. He began drawing cartoons for local San Francisco papers. Then, he moved to New York where he landed a job as a cartoonist for the Evening Mail.

He used his engineering background to create funny cartoons. They featured complicated machines that were described as new inventions. They did easy tasks through a of steps involving chain reactions. The public quickly fell in love with Rube's "inventions."

His work became popular nationwide. The art world also loved his works. Some of them were soon displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Rube eventually even made it to Hollywood. There, his movie script "Soup to Nuts" introduced a trio who would soon become famous as the Three Stooges.

In 1931, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary added "Rube Goldberg" as an adjective. It meant " accomplishing by means what seemingly could be done simply." For Goldberg, his inventions were a way of seeing the humor in everyday situations. He loved that his work made people laugh.

Over time, the cartoon inventions leapt off the pages and became real-life working machines. They were built purely for the joy of engineering and watching science in action. Goldberg's work has inspired millions. People love building their own machines to carry out , tasks.

Today, people even hold Rube Goldberg contests. In 1987, the Phi Chapter of Theta Tau, a national engineering fraternity, started the annual National Rube Goldberg Contest at Purdue University.

Each year, groups compete to make the most elaborate, creative contraptions. How do they get? Very! For example, a Purdue University team once won the competition with a that turned on a flashlight. It used a 125-step process that included a toy rocket, a simulated meteor, and a mock fire!

Have you ever built a Rube Goldberg ? Would you like to? What task might you carry out through a complicated process? Maybe you'll build the next award-winning contraption !

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Machines are meant to make our lives simpler, right? Not always! Wonderopolis takes a closer look at some interesting and complex contraptions today!

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Dominoes VS Rube Goldberg Machines - Behind the Stones

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Science Max | FULL EPISODE | Rube Goldberg Machine | SCIENCE

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The Squirrel Feeding Machine (Rube Goldberg Machine)

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Science Max | Rube Goldberg | FUN SCIENCE

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Largest Rube Goldberg Machine - Guinness World Records

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Design and Build a Rube Goldberg - Activity

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In this two-part activity, students design and build Rube Goldberg machines. This open-ended challenge employs the engineering design process and may have a pre-determined purpose, such as rolling a…

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Looking for Rube Goldberg Machine™ Tasks and Materials Ideas?

This article is written entirely to encourage ingenuity, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving.

The very best way to do all of those things at once is to give your kids some materials and let them create a Rube Goldberg Machine ™.

Rube Goldberg: a comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously contrived to perform a simple operation. ~Webster's New World Dictionary

A Rube Goldberg Machine™ is silly, and thoroughly enjoyable, to take a look at.

What I love so much about these machines is that they are all about learning in a non-traditional manner and they are just so much fun!
This post may contain affiliate links which means we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. All opinions are our own and we share things we think would be of interest to boys.
Rube Goldberg Ideas

There are Rube Goldberg competitions where the task is pre-chosen. Each team has to perform a very specific task.

It appears the contests are now going commercial. In 2017 the competition task is to apply a Band-aid and in 2018 it is pour a bowl of cereal (Cheerios.)

If you are interested in the official contests go here for more information.

There are a few criteria to keep in mind when creating your machines.

They should be funny.

They should tell a story.

They should use everyday objects and/or recycled objects.

They should be well-constructed.

If you are not familiar with these contraptions be sure to take a look at the resource links below before you get started. They will help you learn more about the process and give you a lot of great ideas.

Rube Goldberg Machine™ Tasks

Here are a variety of tasks from Rube Goldberg Machine Contests® in past years. Some of them were really challenging!

Rube Goldberg Activity Idea:

Talk about the different tasks listed below and and ask your kids how they would accomplish them.

Even if you don't want to try to make them, talking how you might go about doing so really gets the wheels turning .

Work together to think of some crazy contraptions that would work.

You can even sketch them out - after all, that is what Rube did. He didn't actually build the creations though, he just drew the comics.

Tasks from Past Rube Goldberg Contests

Apply a Band-Aid®

Open an Umbrella

Erase A Chalkboard

Zip A Zipper

Hammer A Nail

Inflate A Balloon and Pop It!

Assemble a Hamburger

Squeeze the Juice from an Orange

Shred 5 Sheets of Paper

Change Batteries and Turn on a 2-battery Flashlight

Select, Crush and Recycle and Empty Soft Drink Can

Select, Raise and Wave a U.S. Flag

Select, Clean and Peel an Apple

Set a Golf Tee and Tee Up a Golf Ball

Shut Off An Alarm Clock

Insert and Then Play a CD Disc

Put Coins in a Bank

Turn on a Radio

Make Cup of Coffee

Screw a Light Bulb into a Socket

Unlock a Combination Padlock

Toast a Slice of Bread

Put the Lid on a Ball Jar

Put Toothpaste on a Toothbrush

Easy Tasks for You to Try

If you want to try to build a crazy chain reaction yourself the first thing you need to do is choose a task.

We have listed a few easy Rube Goldberg tasks for you but feel free to come up with your own ideas.

Put a bottle in a bin

Water a plant

Shut a door

Turn something on or off (a light, a radio, an alarm)

Ring a bell

Break an egg

Sort coins

Make a ball go into a hole

Pop a balloon

Fire a projectile

Rube Goldberg Machine™ Materials

There are so many materials you can use when creating your invention.

Use things you already have around the house to start and add in items as you need them.

Here are our favorites.

Some good material choices are:

LEGO Bricks - you can make things to knock down or build contraptions

paper tubes

funnels - use several for best effect

piping (clear is a great choice so you can see the ball go through!)

pvc elbows - for turns in tubing or to use to catapult a ball out of

tubing - flexible tube is a good idea for having liquid, marbles or other objects go through

&

pulleys - get a few of these and have elements of your machine drop onto other things

dominos - perfect for a long chain. These are used quite often.

butterfly nets - drop things into them and balance them to spin into something

&

marbles and other small balls are perfect for knocking things over or rolling along a track.

string or twine - for tying things together and for swinging things into something else. I really love this twine by OXO. It comes with a holder and cutter and is a bargain for what you get.

gears! You are more than likely going to want to add some gears to your machine. They are super useful, plus they look cool.

cardboard - so many uses! Use if for everything.

paperclips and binder clips - great for holding things together

pipe cleaners or chenille stems << best deal - hold things together, make things out of them or use them to drop onto another item.

bottles - plastic bottles of all sizes for dropping, rolling and even cutting apart

boxes (cereal, other)

cans - good for rolling or attaching a string to and swinging into something else.

&

cups - same purposes as cans and also for using liquids or for stacking a high pyramid to knock over (impressive!)

straws and jumbo straws - various uses, these make a colorful addition to your machine.

books - great for stacking either to make a tower to set other things on or domino style for knocking over.

balls (ping pong, tennis, golf, other) - perfect for any type of rolling through tubes, knocking things over or bouncing onto a target.

shoelaces - for tying things together or swinging things into something else

&

Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars - for rolling along a track into another object or rolling into another object on a slanted surface.

hot wheel track has many uses.

game pieces (Mousetrap is great for this) - Game pieces are colorful and great for so many things.

rubber bands - for holding tubes together, and you can also set them to shoot into something else.

wooden train track - use the same way as Hot Wheels and Hot Wheels track

wooden trains - you can try a motorized train such as this to run into something

&

marble run tracks - perfect, just perfect! These wonderful toys can add so much to your machine. They are both colorful and fun to watch. Use to trigger another reaction.

&

craft or "popsicle' sticks - try making a craft stick bomb like this one.

clothespins - great for holding things together. I like the mini clips the best.

thread spools - good for rolling into something or for tying and swinging

aluminum foil - ideal for creating any bits you need really. It can be shaped and wrapped around things to make them work better

wax paper - we have used this to rub against something when we couldn't quite get it together.

&

wooden blocks - build and topple or hold things up. You can also stack in a pyramid or gradations

Tinkertoys - so many useful pieces!

pull back toys - we like to use these to start off machines.

Slinky! - of course you have to include a slinky in one of your machines! For fun it's a wonderful toy 😉

walking wind-up toys - these are another great way to get things started. Try this retro robot or this old-school walker.

woodpecker toy is a classic and is great for getting something going. 1st have something bump into it to get it started, then have it trigger another reaction

motorized toys (think Zuzu Pets) - for starting or ending

&

Here are a few additional things we use in our Rube Machines. Click pictures to view items.

Making a Rube Goldberg contraption can be as complicated as you wish to make it or it can be delightfully simple. Kids of any age can participate in building one.

These are just some ideas for you - the sky is the limit.
6 Rube Goldberg Machine Videos to Inspire You Rube Goldberg Ideas: Open a Door With a Rube Goldberg Machine Play and Learn with Rube Goldberg Machines
Have your kids think up a mundane task and see if they can build a Rube Goldberg Contraption to complete the job.

Give it a try. I guarantee that Rube Goldberg Machines™ will provide an opportunity for fun and learning.

Enjoy!

See more Rube Goldberg Ideas:

These Rube Goldberg Styles toys will help you create a wonderful RG Machine.

Check out the different track options and be sure you take a look at the Chaos Tower too! Very cool.

Click through the link as it will give you additional ideas for the types of things you can use to make your own machine.

We will be adding more Rube fun to our site so be sure to stop back or subscribe to our newsletter for all the fun things we share.

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Rube Goldberg Ideas: Tasks & Materials to Make a Machine

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Looking for Rube Goldberg Machine™ Tasks and Materials Ideas? This article is written entirely to encourage ingenuity, creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. The very best way to do all of those things at once is to give your kids some materials and let them create a Rube Goldberg Machine ™.

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A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex contraption designed to complete a simple task. The machine uses a set of tasks that work in succession and trigger one event after another until the final event. It's actually listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an adjective that means "doing something simple in a very complicated way that is not necessary."

Imagine this: Your online school student drops a marble into a paper towel tube chute. The marble slides down and hits a chain of dominoes. The dominoes fall, and the final one hits a small toy car. The car pushes a dog treat off the edge of the table. Success! The family dog snatches up the treat when it falls to the floor.

You might recognize Rube Goldberg machines from TV or movies. Some high school students build them in science class, and some even test their engineering skills by competing in Rube Goldberg machine contests. Building a Rube Goldberg machine is a learning activity that's great for online or traditional school students, and fun for the whole family!

At many schools, like Connections Academy®, Rube Goldberg is a yearly activity integrated into the curriculum. It is an excellent way for online students to explore the world of STEM learning.

Rube Goldberg Ideas

If you're struggling to determine the best way to get started, start with research and inspiration. A Rube Goldberg science project can take on many different shapes and sizes.

Get inspired by Caroline's Guinea Pig Feeder

Creativity knows no bounds with Charlotte's Yahtzee Dice Roller

Here are some additional Rube Goldberg machines that:

How to Plan Your Rube Goldberg Machine in 3 Steps

These machines might not be practical, but they're definitely fun, creative, and educational! Building a Rube Goldberg machine is a great hands-on activity for all ages; plus, it encourages children to flex their STEM muscles. Some thought-starters and instructions are listed below if you'd like to help your children build their own Rube Goldberg machine.

1. Identify Your Rube Goldberg Machine Task

Tasks are the action or end goal you are hoping to achieve at the completion of your Rube Goldberg machine.

Task Ideas: turn off a light, crush a can, drop a bottle in a recycling bin, water a plant, plant seeds in a pot of soil, pop a balloon, fill a glass with water, shut a door, squeeze toothpaste onto a toothbrush, or turn off an alarm clock.

2. Choose Your Supplies

Choosing your supplies is important because they encompass the complexity or simplicity of the machine and how it goes about completing the identified task. Challenge your child to find at least three recyclable materials. Keep in mind that you may change your mind and add or leave out materials during the building process.

Possible materials and items include: aluminum foil, cardboard, water bottles, toilet paper or paper towel tubes, cereal or cake-mix boxes, books, cans, dominoes, funnels, marbles, golf balls, string, buckets, cups or bowls, batteries, and magnets to name a few.

3. Sketch it Out

After you've identified your task and organized materials, begin sketching out your machine before you build it. This will help your child choose the right materials, identify gaps, and assemble a mechanism that works.

How to Build Your Rube Goldberg Machine

1. After the ideation and sketching steps are complete, you can then begin to assemble materials and build your Rube Goldberg machine.

2. Assemble the different parts of your machine, helping your child test each part before moving to the next. Consider these possible actions as you build:

Use circuits to conduct electricity to small motors.

Create a popsicle stick ramp that knocks a series of dominos over that then creates a chain reaction.

Send a soup can rolling and create weighted movement in a pully system like Charlotte.

Utilize household toys or even robots to create actions in your machine.

3. Remember to HAVE FUN!

4. Once the machine is complete, test it to see if it works.

5. Take notes on which parts of the machine work and which ones don't. Does it achieve the task?

6. If something doesn't work, what can you do to make it work next time? Try one small change each time you test it until your amazing machine works!

If you're struggling to choose an experiment for your student's upcoming science fair, Rube Goldberg machines make excellent STEM science fair projects for kids in middle school. From complex processes to fun and creative outputs, everyone is sure to be amazed!

Interested in other STEM projects for kids? Search Connections Academy's Resource Hub for more ideas and activities like this one.

Tuition Free

Ready to learn about the tuition-free, accredited, online public school options in your area? Complete the form below to receive your free online school eGuide today.
Send Me Information

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Steps to Build Your Own Rube Goldberg Machine | Connections Academy

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A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex contraption designed to complete a simple task. The machine uses a set of tasks that work in succession and trigger one event after another until the final event. It's actually listed in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as an adjective that means "doing something simple in a very complicated way that is not necessary."

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A Rube Goldberg machine is any complex contraption that uses a chain reaction to perform a simple task.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Step 1: Start at the End

Identify the simple task you want to achieve. You could turn off a light, open a door, pour a bowl of cereal, turn off an alarm clock, hammer a nail or pop a balloon. Be creative - and unique.
Step 2: Make a Plan
Brainstorm a series of actions that will complete your task. Make a pin pop a balloon. Send a toy car down a ramp. Make dominoes fall. Draw a blueprint plan for what you expect to happen. The most important action will be the first step - that's what starts the entire machine. Make sure your machine starts with a bang!

Step 3: Gather Your Materials

You can use almost anything to create your Rube Goldberg machine. Here are some ideas: dominoes, fans, PVC pipe, magnets, duct tape, marbles, cups or bowls, miniature toy cars, paper towel tubes, string.
Step 4: Build and Test
As you create your machine, follow your blueprint and place your materials where you think they need to be. Practice makes perfect, so don't expect your Rube Goldberg machine to work perfectly the first time you try it. There will be plenty of trial and error - and that's OK. Adjust your materials and keep at it.

10 WORKING RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINES

Here are videos of 10 working Rube Goldberg machines. If you make one of your own, use the form below to send us photos.

Important Note: Please only upload photos of your project. Because of privacy rules, we can't post any photos that show people's faces. Always ask for your parent's permission before uploading anything to a website.

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A Rube Goldberg machine is any complex contraption that uses a chain reaction to perform a simple task. Step 1: Start at the End Identify the simple task you want to achieve. You could turn off a light, open a door, pour a bowl of cereal, turn off an alarm clock, hammer a nail or pop a balloon.

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When it comes to getting things done from a pure efficiency standpoint, the simpler the better. But when it comes to adding a little bit of flair (and internet cred), Rube Goldberg machines rule.

And what, exactly, is a Rube Goldberg machine? While it can be many things, at its heart a Rube Goldberg machine is something that completes a simple task in a complicated way. The machines require a high level of skill and patience to create, and they're the ultimate expression of doing something just because you can. For the outsider, they're simply a lot of fun to watch in action.

How Do Rube Goldberg Machines Work?

Rube Goldberg was an American cartoonist who was famous for drawing characters that completed simple tasks in obscenely complicated ways. The most important aspect to making a Rube Goldberg machine work is that tasks are completed in the correct series.

Each action starts another action in succession until the task is complete (which is often done using the six simple machines). For example, a ball rolling down a ramp could complete its action by hitting a block, which in turn is knocked over to hit a weight that falls off of a lever and starts a pulley that rings the door bell. One event leads to another until the task is complete.

What Are the Six Simple Machines?

At the heart of every Rube Goldberg machine are six simple machines.

The Six Simple Machines of Rube Goldberg

In real life, as in the cartoons, building a Rube Goldberg machine is a lesson in how to use those six simple machines in various methods.

10 Rube Goldberg Machine Examples

The Page Turner

Honda - The Cog

Ok Go Music Video

Rube Goldberg Photobooth

Toy Factory

Featured in the documentary Mousetrap to Mars, this Rube Goldberg machine is made up of tons of old toys like an Operation board game, a train set, and tons of other stuff you probably played with as a kid. The design is ridiculously compact, and it's clear this thing took a lot of work. They're working in tight quarters, so any wrong movement could have set the machine off, ruining all that hard work. Of all the entries on this list, this one seems most difficult to build.

Time Machine

The Christmas Tree Lighter

Turns out the Guinness Book of World Records is a great source for Rube Goldberg Machines. Who would've guessed people like building larger and more elaborate pointless machines than anyone else? Case in point, this Christmas tree lighter. While the end is festive, most of the machine stays away from Christmas, opting instead for an intricate mix of marbles, appliances, and power tools.

MineCraft Rube Goldberg Machine

Melvin the Machine

The Longest Rube Goldberg Machine

In December of 2021, Guinness World Records put up a video of the latest record holder for the longest Rube Goldberg machine. It was built by Chevrolet Menlo, Wang Xiqi, and Guan Jian, and consists of 427 individual steps. No matter how you frame it, anything that takes 427 steps to complete (let alone that many steps to flip the switch on a neon sign).

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10 Brilliant Rube Goldberg Machines That Are Endlessly Fun to Watch

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When it comes to getting things done from a pure efficiency standpoint, the simpler the better. But when it comes to adding a little bit of flair (and internet cred), Rube Goldberg machines rule. And what, exactly, is a Rube Goldberg machine?

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Have you ever seen a Rube Goldberg in action? You probably have, even if you didn't know what it was. A Rube Goldberg is a contraption that uses a chain reaction to carry out a task. It performs a very basic job in a complicated way.

Let's look at an example. We'll describe a Rube Goldberg that wipes a person's chin with a napkin. That's a pretty task, right? Well, wait until you hear how the does it!

First, a person picks up a soup spoon. This action pulls a string. That jerks a ladle, which throws a cracker, which shoots past a parrot. The parrot jumps for the cracker, and its perch tilts and drops seeds. The seeds land in a pail. The extra weight in the pail pulls a cord which opens and lights an automatic cigar lighter. This sets off a rocket that causes a sickle to cut a string. This allows a pendulum with a napkin attached to it to swing back and forth to wipe the chin.

Whew! Did you follow that of events? Why on Earth would someone invent such a ? To answer that question, we must take a closer look at Rube Goldberg.

Reuben Lucius "Rube" Goldberg was born on July 4, 1883, in San Francisco, California. As a teen, he loved to draw. He even received some basic art instruction when he worked with a sign painter. Still, he chose not to pursue a career in art. Instead, he went to the University of California at Berkeley. There, he earned his degree in mining engineering.

Goldberg went to work mapping out sewer pipes and water mains in San Francisco. That didn't hold his interest for long. He began drawing cartoons for local San Francisco papers. Then, he moved to New York where he landed a job as a cartoonist for the Evening Mail.

He used his engineering background to create funny cartoons. They featured complicated machines that were described as new inventions. They did easy tasks through a of steps involving chain reactions. The public quickly fell in love with Rube's "inventions."

His work became popular nationwide. The art world also loved his works. Some of them were soon displayed in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Rube eventually even made it to Hollywood. There, his movie script "Soup to Nuts" introduced a trio who would soon become famous as the Three Stooges.

In 1931, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary added "Rube Goldberg" as an adjective. It meant " accomplishing by means what seemingly could be done simply." For Goldberg, his inventions were a way of seeing the humor in everyday situations. He loved that his work made people laugh.

Over time, the cartoon inventions leapt off the pages and became real-life working machines. They were built purely for the joy of engineering and watching science in action. Goldberg's work has inspired millions. People love building their own machines to carry out , tasks.

Today, people even hold Rube Goldberg contests. In 1987, the Phi Chapter of Theta Tau, a national engineering fraternity, started the annual National Rube Goldberg Contest at Purdue University.

Each year, groups compete to make the most elaborate, creative contraptions. How do they get? Very! For example, a Purdue University team once won the competition with a that turned on a flashlight. It used a 125-step process that included a toy rocket, a simulated meteor, and a mock fire!

Have you ever built a Rube Goldberg ? Would you like to? What task might you carry out through a complicated process? Maybe you'll build the next award-winning contraption !

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Machines are meant to make our lives simpler, right? Not always! Wonderopolis takes a closer look at some interesting and complex contraptions today!