Building a Mousetrap Car

Wheels are On

Question/ Problem

What are the two types of friction that affect the performance of your vehicle? The two types of friction that affect the performance of our vehicle are the friction that occurs between the wheels of the car and the surface it rolls upon, and air resistance. We one to find out if we can increase performance by placing rubber-latex balloons on the wheels.

Explore/Hypothesis

My hypothesis is that the use of covered rubber-latex balloons on the wheels could more easily overcome the friction it would improve performance while rolling on the surfaces.

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Design/ Plan

Mouse trap with 2 balsa wood stick and threaded fishing line and 4 CD’S.

Wheels are On

Materials

mouse trap

threaded fishing line

wooden sticks

gorilla glue

CD disks

medal bars

ruler

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Create

• Remove any metal or plastic teeth on the mousetrap with pliers.
• Remove the rod that is used to set the trap.
• Glue wooden sticks to the two pieces in both about sides .
• These will serve as your axles that rotate the wheels.
• Adjust the 4 wheels.
• Tie a string very tightly to the snapper arm on the mouse trap. The string should be long enough to just reach to the back axle.
• Pull back the snapper arm until it reaches the other end of the trap, carefully. (You may need help.)
• Hold the snapper arm in place and wrap the string tightly around one side of the axle. Holding the string tightly, set the car on the ground and carefully let go of the trap – the string should be wound tight enough that it holds the trap in place.
• Let go of the string (after making sure all hands are out of the way!). The trap will snap forward, propelling your car.

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Improve

•The pulling of the lever arm results in the force that sends the vehicle moving forward as the force travels over a smaller distance from the released hammer to the axle. An improvement for distance travel can be adding and axel in the middle Center Axel..

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Improvement

Data

You need to wind up the threaded fishing line as you bring back the spring. When you release the lever arm, it starts unwinding making the car move forward.

Conclusion

The mousetrap is used as the piece that produces the kinetic energy to move the car. My hypothesis was correct, the adjustment to the wheels made the car grib better and performance was greater.

This is a fun experiment to try with family and friends. At times it can be frustrating but if you do not succeed in the first time keep trying .

Real World Connection

Solve problems related to force, acceleration and movement. Investigate motion, simple machines and mechanical energy to understand physics principles and engineering elements.