Reuben L. Goldberg and His Machines

The Artist and His Work
Reuben (Rube) L. Goldberg was an American cartoonist. He is best known for drawing elaborate machines. His drawings showed machines with wheels, gears, handles, pails, and other interesting devices. The machines in Goldberg's drawings were designed to take a simple task and make it complex. The contraptions he drew 80 years ago were so funny that they continue to inspire young scientists and engineers today.

Goldberg's Career
Goldberg's cartoons appeared in several respected New York City newspapers, including the New York Evening Journal and the New York Evening Mail. The cartoonist also wrote a feature film called Soup to Nuts, which was the first film starring the Three Stooges. Goldberg's machines appear in the film.

How to Build a Cause-Effect Machine
Every year students build machines based on Goldberg's designs for school projects, for competitions, or simply for fun. Goldberg's machines operate based on cause and effect. Students and engineers of all ages can learn to build these elaborate cause-effect machines. The key to building one of these machines is to understand how to use gravity and force to push and pull objects along a path. Reading up on these concepts is a good place to start. After that, building the machines is all about having fun. Find a simple task for the machine to do. Then, find a complicated way for the machine to do it.

The Cause-Effect Machine in Popular Culture
Cause-effect machines are incredibly fun to watch. For this reason, they have found their way into Hollywood movies such as Back to the Future and The Goonies. The machines also inspired a board game for kids called Mouse Trap. Clearly, Goldberg's machines have a place in our popular culture.
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Which section develops the idea that Goldberg's machines help inspire young scientists and engineers?
A.
How to Build a Cause-Effect Machine
B.
The Artist and His Work
C.
Goldberg's Career
D.
The Cause-Effect Machine in Popular Culture