Dolores Gende: MOUSETRAP CARS

GENERAL OBJECTIVE

To construct a car powered by a mousetrap.

The car works when one end of a string is tied to the arm on the mousetrap and the other end is wound around an axle. By winding the string around the axle the mousetrap's spring is stretched providing stored energy. As the mousetrap is released it pulls the string off of the axle causing the wheels to turn and making the car move.

PROJECT

The objective of this project is to design a Mousetrap Car for maximum DISTANCE and to demonstrate an understanding of the Physics principles

behind the design and performance of a Mousetrap Car.

The project consists of 5 phases as follows:

- Mousetrap Car Design

- Mousetrap Car Construction

- Mousetrap Car Performance

- Mousetrap Car Physics Analysis

- Mousetrap Car Self-Assessment

The final grade will be evaluated using

the Project Assessment Criteria.

All designs must follow the PROJECT RULES

TIMELINE

Tuesday April 14 Materials are DUE, construction started

Thursday April 16 Mousetrap cars must be completely assembled

and Physics Analysis Part 1 DUE

Monday April 20 Mousetrap cars will be evaluated

Physics Analysis Part 2 and Self Assesment DUE

USEFUL LINKS

General Links

Physics of Mousetrap Racers

All physics concepts involved are clearly explained.

Mousetrap Cars by Doc Fizzix

A commercial site with the best information about the cars.

Mousetrap Cars Help Center

Index of brief articles on various aspects of a mousetrap car

Basics of Propulsion

Making a Long Distance Mousetrap Car

Designing a Car for Distance Information

Construction Tips and the Physics Behind Mousetrap Cars

Mousetrap Car Construction Tips:

Rolling Friction, Pulling Force, Axle-to-Wheel Ration, Starting Energy

and Wheel Traction

Additional Construction Tips: Building a Big Wheel, Decreasing Rotational Inertia, Getting Better Traction and Adjustable Steering

Building Mousetrap Cars Additional Links