How do you build a mousetrap car?

What materials are needed to build a mousetrap car?

A mousetrap car can be made from cardboard or balsa wood with CD’s for wheels and axles of wood or brass tubing. Power to drive the wheels is provided by a mousetrap to which a wand and string is attached to the snap arm.

How do you make a fast mousetrap car?

How do you make a mousetrap car go far?

Using large rear wheels allow one rotation of the axle to take the car a much further distance. In other words, a given length of the string from the mousetrap moves the car a greater distance. The last note is to place your mousetrap as close to the front of the car as possible.

What kind of string is best for a mousetrap car?

The string has to be strong enough to handle the pulling force but flexible and thin enough to wind tightly around the drive axle. We recommend using a Kevlar based fishing line because its high strength. You should stay away from nylon fishing line and dental floss, these do not work well with mousetrap racers.

How do you make a 10 point mousetrap car?

To adapt your mousetrap car for distance, use large, light wheels for less friction and greater inertia. For example, old CDs make great wheels to increase distance. If your car is a rear-wheel drive car, set the wheels on a narrow rear axle so the wheels turn more and travel further.

What is the fastest mousetrap car?

Speed-Trap Racer
The Speed-Trap Racer is the fastest mousetrap powered racer anywhere and was designed after Doc Fizzix’s own record-setting mousetrap racer that traveled 5 meters in 1.2 seconds.

How long should a mousetrap car be?

between 10 and 15 inches
The ideal size for an ultra big wheel on a long distance mousetrap racer seams to be somewhere between 10 and 15 inches. And the ideal size for a drive wheel on a speed-trap racer seams to be between 2 and 3 inches but no more than 4 inches.

What can I use for wheels on a mousetrap car?

Mouse Trap Cars: CD/DVD Wheels. Learn more about using DVDs/CDs as wheels on your mousetrap racer. DVDs/CDs make great wheels because they can slice through the air with very little resistance.

Why is my mousetrap car not going straight?

If your mousetrap car does not travel straight energy is also being wasted to over come the force of friction turning the vehicle’s wheels. If a mousetrap vehicle is not traveling straight then there is one reason and one reason only: the front and rear axles are not parallel to one another!

What is the physics behind a mousetrap car?

The basics

The mousetrap storespotential energyin the form of the spring. That potential energy is converted into kinetic energy in the form of the arm rotating forward. The arm pulls on the wound-up string, which turns the drive wheel dowel, which is connected to the wheels, which makes the car drive forward.

How do you stabilize wheels on a mousetrap car?

How can I make my car straight?

How do you test a mousetrap car?

How wide should a mousetrap car be?

Dimensions / Specifications: Max Length – 45 cm. Max Width – 20 cm. Height – 20 cm.

How do you make a mousetrap car go forward and backwards?

Should a mousetrap car be heavy or light?

A heavy mousetrap vehicle will required more pulling force than a lighter mousetrap vehicle in order to achieve an equal acceleration. Lighter mousetrap vehicles will require less energy at the start and can use longer lever arms for more pulling distance.

How do Newton’s laws apply to a mousetrap car?

– According to Newton’s third law we think that if we set the car with a force going backward then there will be a foreword force that is equal to the backward force. The experiment proves Newton’s second law because when we added more mass to the car the car went slower.

What simple machines are in a mousetrap car?

Six Simple Machines

Inclined plane • Wedge • Screw • Lever • Wheel and axle • Pulley Your mousetrap vehicle will have a number of moving parts making it a type of machine.