Mouse Trap Car

Not this kind:

or or

Procedures

• 1. Get your materials (kind of a dead give away)

  2. Be sure that you are able to do this project without snapping a finger. If you're too clumsy have someone help you since I'm not responsible in any way. And by reading this you aknowledge it.

  3. Get a mousetrap that is not wound up yet. Drill four small holes into the front and back on the left and on the right. Like the headlights and rear lights of a car. In these small holes put in a paper clip (in each).

  4. You should have shaped the paperclips to be stuck into the mousetrap and have a round end so that you can stick in the pen.

  5. Make sure the paperclips will not move.

  6. Before putting in the pens tape or hot glue the CDs to the ends of the pen. (only one then put it in the paper clip and then attach the other wheel.

  7. Cover the edges of the CDs with duct tape to provide traction.

  8. Feel free to go nuts with duct tape and decorate it.

  9. Tightly tie the string to the bar of the mousetrap and tie the other end around the rear axle (pen).

  10. Wrap the loose parts of the string tightly around the pen. And keep it tight.

  11. Wound the mousetrap and set it. Making sure there is maximum tension between the string.

  12. If this is done correctly the mousetrap should roll forward (or backwards if you did it wrong) once it is triggered by a pen or stick of some sort.

  13. Stay clear of its path and watch as it rolls and eventually stops.

  14. Record any thing you might be testing. In a notebook or on the back of your hand.

  15. It is finished!

Results

Results may vary.

The Physics Behind It!

Key Terms and Principles: Personally I don't believe there is much need for these terms for this particular project. But let's make this educational shall we?

• • Motion: Of course the car is put into a steady motion once it is triggered, and it jerks when it stops since Newton's 1st law of motion illustrates Inertia. An object in motion stays in motion. So the car still moves a bit until it completely stops.

  • Kinetic energy: The car holds this type of energy since it is in motion and preforming a specific task. (traveling from point A to point B. These points can depend on whoever is making the project. My points are far different then yours and at the moment I'm probably typing this at point C listening to Tom Petty)

  • Potential energy: The mousetrap holds immense potential energy when it is set up. Such energy is just waiting there until a poor Stuart Little comes along.

  • Friction: This one we kind of breeze over since that is the purpose of the Duct Tape (or balloons if you are more of a party kinda guy. I'm obviously not so I used tape). The Duct Tape provides traction around the tired (Discs) so that it may ride on most surfaces without slipping about and spinning in the same spot.

  • There are other forces at work such as well Force, Work, Power, Tension, Velocity and others that I don't feel like talking about. Those aren't mentioned much in this project unless you are making precise calculations in which it will be up to YOU to figure it out. For example you can compare runs and measure how fast the car goes and its distance or you can try to figure out the tension in the string holding it together. From there you can calculate the Force (not from Star Wars though, sadly).

  • You'll be using measurements such as inches/centimeters, Newtons, m/s, all depending on how you apply this project. So its true purpose is to be used as an application to solve complex problems in a fun and simple way (I just thought of that. Wow I'm clever.).

  • Inertia is also used since the car comes to a sudden stop once the string runs out and the car may jerk foward a bit.

  • Wheels mean a lot of sciencey terms like period, frequency, revolutions, and angular terms. You can test your car by either measuring the distance or the actual number of revolutions of the wheels as the car is in motion. Or heck, you can even just run over stuff.

  • There is also torque since the lever arm exerts much force (because of the springs energy when triggered) and this lever arm decides how far the car will go.

  • You can also measure by how loud someone screams (in decibals) when they snap their finger in the mousetrap.

There are many ways to make a moustrap cars and if you are a lot richer than I am, you can use different materials, weld, use screws, with parental permission of course! (that sounded cheesey)

Remember to make the most of this and it can be used more than for just entertainment... I mean educational purposes...

Videos

Here are some other student's design:

There are so many different ways to make a moustrap car

If you don't believe me just ask this guy.

(well not really, I'm not sure how you'll find him.)

Now this is how we made ours specifically again:

Check out Version 2.0 for better quality.

More comments:

• This is a fairly simple project and if done correctly will be quite enjoyable. It's incredibly easy, you just have to be sure to securely place everything together because often they don't last long if not built properly.

  • What is this?

    • It's simply a windup car made from a moustrap.

  • How's it work?

    • The string is pulled once the moustrap mechanism is triggered, this in turn pulls the rear axle causing the motion in the "car." It will stop once it runs out of force or string.

  • How long should it take?

    • If you want to make a good one it is easy but should be done carefully. So perhaps a few hours (2-3). It all depends on the user.