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The Mousetrap Powered Car:
Brightwood Elementary School students in 5th grade can design and build their first fuel-efficient car that will take their vehicle the farthest distance, using power from one spring of a mousetrap.
Students will learn about converting potential energy to kinetic energy. Students will discover the wonders of leverage and experiment with how levers can be used to give the car more power to go faster, up hills, or for distance. When designing their cars, students will consider the aerodynamics of the car body to reduce wind resistance and weight distribution to stabilize the car on the ground. Students will look to optimize “fuel” efficiency by minimizing every aspect of the car that can slow it down, like wobbly wheels and wheel axles that don’t turn easily. Students must choose tires that are light and maintain good traction with the ground. Quality craftsmanship is necessary to make sure all parts perform as designed to make the car go straight and far. Cars should show your personality and pride. Practice makes perfect, so test your car often and don’t be afraid to try several different designs.
Students will receive EXTRA CREDIT for this assignment. (PLEASE NOTE THAT CAR MUST TRAVEL AT LEAST 1-FOOT TO RECEIVE EXTRA CREDIT.) 100pts will be factored into the student's overall science grade. Projects need to meet all criteria listed below. Projects must be turned in for testing:
Brightwood Elementary School
Science Festival –
Contest Rules
TYPE OF CONTEST: Individual
OBJECTIVE: Students will build a car, powered by a standard size mousetrap, which will travel the longest distance. Tiebreaker is the car that runs the straightest.
MATERIALS: One standard mousetrap is to be used. All other materials to build the car are legal and optional. Standard safety practices must be observed. Be careful when using the mousetrap (DO NOT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL STRESS TO THE MOUSETRAP SUCH AS SNAPPING – THIS WILL BREAK YOU MOUSETRAP AND/OR YOUR CAR!!)
RULES:
1) The Mousetrap Car must be powered only by the mousetrap mechanism. The initial energy of the mousetrap may be transferred to another device ONLY if that device does not produce energy by itself.
2) NO other energy source may be added (e.g. C02 cartridge, batteries, elastic strings, rubber bands, solar panels, etc.).
3) The standard mousetrap must be permanently mounted to the chassis (you can add onto, but you cannot delete, alter or move original parts).
4) Each car will use only one standard size mousetrap that the teacher will supply.
5) Place your name on the side of the car.
6) The distance that a car travels will be measured according to the distance the rear wheels travel from the starting line to the furthest point. If the car rolls forward then backwards, the furthest point the car has traveled will still be measured. If any wheel leaves the side of the track, the distance is measured from the starting line to the rear wheel nearest the starting line at the point the car left the track.
7) Each car will be allowed 2 runs, 1 run in each round. Everyone will run their Mousetrap Car once during round one and once during round two. Students will be assigned a random number to determine the run order. The greater distance of the two runs will be the recorded distance.
8) Students or teams must design and build their own Mousetrap Cars.
9) Each car must be ready for competition when called.
10) The Mousetrap Car shall be in a ready, stationary, “hands-off” position prior to the start order from the judge. At this point, the student shall indicate to the judge that the car is in the ready position. When the judge says, “Go,” the student will start the car and the test begins. The car must start with the back wheels on the starting line.
11) Cars must roll or glide along the track. All wheels must stay in contact with the track at all times.
12) The track cannot have tarpaper or any other material to induce friction. The car wheels can have these materials, but the materials cannot come off the car.
13) No part of the car may be attached to any part of the track.
14) Once the student trips the lever of the mousetrap to start the car, no one may touch or otherwise interfere with the car.
Track Specifications:
(The track is provided at school. Please note that your car will run on concrete *asphalt* and car wheels should have a protective layer to prevent from cracking.)
· The track is a minimum of 6 ft. wide.
· The minimum length of the track is 75 ft
· The track is “caution taped” to keep track clear.
JUDGING:
1. Students will submit their cars to their teachers in the morning and judges will inspect them to ensure that they meet the rules listed above. Disqualified cars are not eligible for awards; however, they may be tested, time permitting.
2. The same car must be used for both trials. Cars may be repaired or modified between trials for that car, but must still meet the rules. Runs will be nonconsecutive.
Important Mousetrap Car Design Parameters
1. The car can have any length and size body, but try to keep it light so mousetrap power is used to move the car the furthest distance. In real life, a heavier car uses more gasoline.
2. Use wheels that are light weight, roll easily, and have traction with the ground. You do not want wheels that slip or turn without moving the car.
3. Design the wheel axles so the wheels do not wobble and the car moves straight ahead. The less the wheel axles rub on their connections to the car, the less energy will be lost to friction heat.
4. Size, shape and weight of the car should be distributed to balance the car and keep it from tipping over or moving crooked.
5. Get the most leverage from your mousetrap by adding a pole or stick to the mechanism. The end of the pole will move a longer distance than the mousetrap bar, which means a string tied to the end of the pole and the wheel axles can move the wheels further. Students must determine how long a pole they can use, as long poles weigh more and require a larger car to remain stable on the ground.
6. Carefully use adhesive tape and glues to prevent unintended stickiness on the wheels and mousetrap mechanism.
7. A reminder: The mousetrap spring must stay the same. You are free to take the trigger off or even modify the snaping arm, but you may not add additional springs or rubberbands to the trap to increase power. **Please note: see Mr. Hillman about making your mousetrap more durable.
8. Sometimes keeping things simple can be best!
Resources: There are plenty of examples and directions found on the web to help you with this assignment. If you care to see working examples, I suggest www.youtube.com. There is also a link in the Resource Center with additional websites that can provide some pointers. Explore these first and good luck:
Kreider Physical Science Pages:
Google Sites
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