The hub should hold the axle in the exact center of the wheel and the sides of the hub should be exactly 90 degrees to the axle otherwise the wheel will wobble.

Share it with us! Pingback: 31Aug — Term1, Day18 — cvintroengcar. Think especially of how to reduce friction between your axle and the eye hooks attaching them to the body of the car. Increase the pull until the car begins to slide. Give your wheels some traction by stretching large rubber bands around each wheel. The axle alignment with the chassis of the car has to be that way also. Actually it really showed me what I could do for my own. The component parallel divided by the component perpendicular is the coefficient of friction.

There are several forms of energy and often one form of energy can be converted to another. Notify me of new posts by email. Some further thoughts on mousetrap car engineering. Foamcore board or balsa wood are often used for the body. What a great physics project! I have gotten several complaints and even threatened with a lawsuit from my neighbors for harassment and assault from the injuries inquired from the mouse trap. Download yours today. Use a compass to draw the circles, or trace around a bowl or cup. It will have a value less than 1. Do this for all four wheels.

Now I make a mousetrap car every hour. You want a large static friction for best traction. Do they slide back and forth so that one wheel or the other rubs? Tie the loop so it barely reaches the zip tie hook on the axle. A strong force will break the static friction of the wheel against the floor and the wheel will spin without corresponding translational movement. You may need help. There are a couple of possibilities for crooked wheels. The tractive force depends on both the coefficient of friction and the weight. A concern here is traction.

Your simple model moves forward a few feet, but how could you design it to go longer distances? I got over hundred and countingg. I am taking your feeds also. It will have a value less than 1. I have gotten them to go up to feet. With too much friction in the bearings the mousetrap the mousetrap might not even move or stop repeatedly. First Law — mousetrap car is at rest, it needs an unbalanced force to start moving, any idea where this force comes from? Over-tightening could be in the same way harmful because under-tightening. The device must come to a rest as close as possible to a point directly inline from its start location i.

Attach the mousetrap to the chassis, using duct tape. Thank you!!! Awsome site! Acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass. Vehicle KITS. Thank you so much! Your simple model moves forward a few feet, but how could you design it to go longer distances? Even though they work using principles of physics, you certainly don't need to be a physicist to build and enjoy them. CThelemarck oliviagaddy Answer 9 months ago. A dab of glue will help keep it in place.

While there are several other good mousetrap car Instructables and videos to be found out there and many car designs that travel faster and farther, I like these plans for their simplicity and ability to adapt and modify. An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Remove any metal or plastic teeth on the mousetrap with pliers. See how to tie a loop knot. Another thing you might try would be to glue strips of sandpaper around the perimeter. Always wind the string under tension. For my experiment I measured the force in grams at 4 centimeters from the axis at 25, 90, and degrees. Then place the two pieces of cardboard on top of each other and tape the edges together to make one double thick piece of cardboard.

Increasing the weight will have other consequences. To avoid too much inertia, think about how you can build a lighter car. Please help me billy. Work — Power — Energy. Through workshops I have taught a fairly large number of mousetrap cars of my design have been built. UkeDog CThelemarck Reply 10 months ago. If there were no friction it would continue to move in the same direction but the friction is an unbalanced force can you think of sources friction in the mousetrap car? How do you stop the string from wrapping around the axle and stopping the car? Pull back the snapper arm until it reaches the other end of the trap, carefully. Some method of adjusting the steering and then setting it may be desirable.

Unlike when it's in mouse-catching mode, the mousetrap won't clamp on your finger and turn it into a throbbing purplish mess -- that is, if the trap is set up properly. The next generation of mousetrap cars was built from balsa wood and the current generation use a chassis made from a foam block. These will serve as your axles that rotate the wheels. The force from the wound spring will decrease as the lever moves towards the opposite position from the start. I will try to present this in a fun an easy to understand manner. Comment Name Email Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Law of Inertia. A common example of torque is tightening a bolt with a wrench. Great question. These mousetrap cars have also been built without my help in all parts of the globe.

Reply 10 months ago. The force from the wound spring will decrease as the lever moves towards the opposite position from the start. Cut 3 sections of straw to fit on the body of the car like in the illustration. By turning the drive axle the string is wound around the drive axle causing the mouse trap's spring to compress and store energy. Answer Upvote. The component parallel divided by the component perpendicular is the coefficient of friction. The device must come to a rest as close as possible to a point directly inline from its start location i. When the lever arm is pulled all the way back the torque will be the greatest.

Pull back the snapper arm until it reaches the other end of the trap, carefully. Some method of adjusting the steering and then setting it may be desirable. Reply 4 months ago. Or multi-days?? Technology Experiments. Always wind the string using the force of the mouse trap, do not help lift the lever arm during the winding process except maybe at the start of the wind and then only just to get things going. Will come back again. CThelemarck lop24jq Reply 7 months ago. Put the large wheels on the back of the car, opposite the snapper arm. A strong force will break the static friction of the wheel against the floor and the wheel will spin without corresponding translational movement.

It makes a great 4-H or class project that provides an opportunity to learn some basic physics and engineering skills. To engineer this, we must understand static and dynamic coefficients of friction. See how to attach an axle hook. Hopefully you have identified that there are many physics concepts in this seemly simple model car. Last weekend, a mousetrap car took my job and I am on the verge of losing my home. Excellent source of student language information. Do this for all four wheels. Question 6 months ago. I have gotten several complaints and even threatened with a lawsuit from my neighbors for harassment and assault from the injuries inquired from the mouse trap.

Notify me of new posts by email. For a long distance mousetrap Low Power is desirable, work should be done over long period of time. What a great physics project! If one snaps back on your hand it could break a finger. For distance cars, larger wheels are best. Answer 9 months ago. The device must come to a rest as close as possible to a point directly inline from its start location i. If they are wobbly, you have to address that first by trying to straighten them. Question 6 months ago. This was a great help for me in science or I probably would of failed science!!!

In particular, it will increase the bearing friction. What a great physics project! Please help me billy. Great project for my 5th grade students. There are a couple of things to think about if the wheels are rubbing against the frame. I will try to present this in a fun an easy to understand manner. CThelemarck lop24jq Reply 7 months ago. Put the car on the ground and let it go and it should start rolling away from you. Keep the good work up. Be sure the dowel is pointing forward away from the notch in the cardboard and that the dowel also lines up with the center of the notch when it is pulled back.

To me it is also interesting if you can measure calculated outcomes and think about the reasons for inaccuracies. Now I make a mousetrap car every hour. These are just a few things that might make them crooked. Hopefully you have identified that there are many physics concepts in this seemly simple model car. When I roll it, the weels are crooked and I have been trying to fix but its not working so what do I do? The trap will snap forward, propelling your car. After building a good kit car, designing your own will be much easier. I am loving it!! These mousetrap cars have also been built without my help in all parts of the globe.

First Law — mousetrap car is at rest, it needs an unbalanced force to start moving, any idea where this force comes from? In the first prototypes of the bamboo mousetrap car I noticed that the chassis was twisting from the force of the lever arm pulling on the rear axle. Some further thoughts on mousetrap car engineering. The above procedure used rubber bands to provide traction; can you think of a better way? Let us outline some concepts that should be studied to understand the operation of the mousetrap car:. This is the hook for the string. A common example of torque is tightening a bolt with a wrench. Please help me bill. There are many different ways to build a mousetrap car. The static coefficient of friction is measured by pulling the car across a level floor with a spring scale.

Acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass. This will be the underside of the car. Nice work. Learn all about mousetrap vehicle propulsion systems and how to make a mousetrap car move. The problem is we need to avoid an obstacle 1 meter away and should get back to the line of distance from where my car starts. The next generation of mousetrap cars was built from balsa wood and the current generation use a chassis made from a foam block. What a great physics project! Use a generous bit of glue to hold it in place. His designs for elastic cars, bottle jet racers, steam cars, pop-pop boats etc. Here are some things to think about:.

As the lever pulls the string the axle turns as the string unwinds until all the string has been pulled through at which point the end of the string that was wrapped around the axle should release and the mousetrap car should coast for a distance because of kinetic energy until friction causes it to stop. This is the hook for the string. Mousetrap-powered Cars Design. CThelemarck tlangstonstbs Answer 6 months ago. Rocket Planter by SimonRob in Decorating. I wish my kids had a physics teacher like you! This means you should understand terms such as diameter, circumference, radius, pi, rolling resistance, and rotational inertia. Doc Fizzix Mousetrap Car Kits. One way to try making the energy release slower is to lengthen the lever arm by attaching something pencil, dowel, etc. Hub — this the center of the wheel which attaches to the axle.

Question 8 months ago on Introduction. Circuit Science Projects. Now my warehouse has approximately mousetrap cars and counting. This article has brought meaning to my life. It is also interesting to see how the force decreases as the spring unwinds. Give your wheels some traction by stretching large rubber bands around each wheel. There are many different ways to build a mousetrap car. What Happened: A set mousetrap is full of potential energy which, when released, is converted to kinetic motion energy.

To avoid too much inertia, think about how you can build a lighter car. The component parallel divided by the component perpendicular is the coefficient of friction. I did grades 5 through 8th in summer class but it was a rush to get all cars constructed and run in 90 minutes. CThelemarck tlangstonstbs Answer 6 months ago. This is actually a terrific site. A strong force will break the static friction of the wheel against the floor and the wheel will spin without corresponding translational movement. But what do you recommend for the axles? The hub should hold the axle in the exact center of the wheel and the sides of the hub should be exactly 90 degrees to the axle otherwise the wheel will wobble. For the small wheels, you could also try using a section of a balloon. Remove any metal or plastic teeth on the mousetrap with pliers.

Excuse me! What Happened: A set mousetrap is full of potential energy which, when released, is converted to kinetic motion energy. Got all that? But what do you recommend for the axles? What a great physics project! Great Googly Moogly I never realized how awe-inspiring mousetrap cars can be. Let us outline some concepts that should be studied to understand the operation of the mousetrap car:. This is potential energy with the lever arm pulled back as the mousetrap car moves this converts into kinetic energy. Three common concepts that can be explored with Mousetrap[ Cars are friction, torque and inertia. It makes a great 4-H or class project that provides an opportunity to learn some basic physics and engineering skills.

CThelemarck tlangstonstbs Answer 6 months ago. This is potential energy with the lever arm pulled back as the mousetrap car moves this converts into kinetic energy. Unlike when it's in mouse-catching mode, the mousetrap won't clamp on your finger and turn it into a throbbing purplish mess -- that is, if the trap is set up properly. Excellent source of student language information. Question 1 year ago on Step 1. Actually it really showed me what I could do for my own. This project requires adult permission and supervision. Over-tightening could be in the same way harmful because under-tightening. For this experiment inaccuracy was related to the spring scale I was using and how I was using it.

Take a mousetrap and remove the pieces that make up the release trigger bait holder and wire bail, see picture. Soooooooo helpfullllll! After building a good kit car, designing your own will be much easier. Phone Hours: Mon. Do they slide back and forth so that one wheel or the other rubs? This webpage on mousetrap cars was redone last year, I had a somewhat different webpage for several years. There was a rubber powered event that had to go around an obstacle but you could make the steering adjustable to a fixed setting and then curve around the obstacle. I love your work, but could you please tell me when you published this article? As the string was pulled, friction between it and the axle caused the axle to rotate, spinning the wheels and moving the car forward. Measured Forces on Lever Arm at 90 Degrees.

Answer 1 year ago. These can be measured and included in the force and energy analysis. You want a large static friction for best traction. Then place the two pieces of cardboard on top of each other and tape the edges together to make one double thick piece of cardboard. Increasing either will increase the tractive force. Phone Hours: Mon. That way when it releases it won't catch the hook, allowing the car to coast. What Happened: A set mousetrap is full of potential energy which, when released, is converted to kinetic motion energy. The vehicle must start from behind a start-line and then clear an obstacle as it travels the longest possible distance in the longitudinal direction from the start line.

For the small wheels, you could also try using a section of a balloon. Think of how a large truck or a train is slower accelerating than an automobile. Every time your axle turns one time, so do your wheels — if the wheels have a much larger diameter than the axle, the car will go further on each turn of the axle than it would if the wheels were smaller. The axle alignment with the chassis of the car has to be that way also. Candy Cannon by bearmaked in Launchers. Reply 7 months ago. The Doc Fizzix book discuses friction and shows the measuring on an incline plane, I tried that but did not have an accurate enough scale. Mousetrap Cars: Propulsion by Alden J. On my design I used the screw eyes in a way small adjustments could be done on the tracking. As far as stopping at a certain point there is a Doc Fizzix car like that which uses a threaded rod and a wingnut.

CThelemarck tlangstonstbs Answer 6 months ago. Here are some things to think about:. If I have the kids from 9am to 4pm, is this a 1 day project? It makes a great 4-H or class project that provides an opportunity to learn some basic physics and engineering skills. A rod connected to the trap bar the piece normally used to snap a mouse's neck pulls on a long piece of string wound around one of the axles. In particular, it will increase the bearing friction. Second Law — states that force is proportional to acceleration but acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. Torque has been defined either as a twisting force or the tendency to rotate around an axis. With too much friction in the bearings the mousetrap the mousetrap might not even move or stop repeatedly.

Candy Cannon by bearmaked in Launchers. Unlike when it's in mouse-catching mode, the mousetrap won't clamp on your finger and turn it into a throbbing purplish mess -- that is, if the trap is set up properly. You will get a result for the force required to start it rolling and a result for the minimum force required to keep it rolling. The problem is we need to avoid an obstacle 1 meter away and should get back to the line of distance from where my car starts. Please help me billy. Mpousetrapcar Build Instructions. I Made It! It goes pretty fast using hot glue gun. Remove any metal or plastic teeth on the mousetrap with pliers. I then measured at 28 centimeters from the axis and then calculated what the force should be based on the measurements at 4 centimeters.

A set mousetrap is full of potential energy which, when released, is converted to kinetic motion energy. However, it will also run out of energy sooner. As you might guess, the materials used to build mousetrap-powered cars are light out of necessity. Work out the force diagram for the angle of inclination to find the components of weight parallel with the board and perpendicular with the board. Or how could you design it to go faster? Glue the mousetrap in place towards the front on the topside of the car with hot glue. During the first few years of working with my science related project ideas it was mainly about just getting the students to successfully build and operate the projects. If one snaps back on your hand it could break a finger. Do they slide back and forth so that one wheel or the other rubs? The concept of torque is also important in flight like in this quadcopter, check out my article Basic Quadcopters.

I usually tie a loop just short of the zip tie hook see step 7. I have gotten several complaints and even threatened with a lawsuit from my neighbors for harassment and assault from the injuries inquired from the mouse trap. The string should be wound tight as it winds around the drive axle or the mousetrap racer well have a jerky motion as the string unwinds. Thank you so much! If the energy from the mousetrap is released quickly, your car will accelerate quickly and run faster. Once you have a good idea how the car works, see if you can design another car that can travel even farther. The same can be done with the wheels free to turn. In particular, it will increase the bearing friction. See how to tie a loop knot.

For the small wheels, you could also try using a section of a balloon. Answer Upvote. Here are some things to think about: wheel-to-axle ratio. I have caught around , mice from my house and garage in total. This will give you a longer piece of string than the one tied directly to the snapper arm. Last weekend, a mousetrap car took my job and I am on the verge of losing my home. A mousetrap powered car is a vehicle that is powered by the energy of a wound-up mouse trap's spring. Try different materials for the body, axles, wheels etc.

Do this for all four wheels. This will give you a longer piece of string than the one tied directly to the snapper arm. Here are some things to think about:. Think of how a large truck or a train is slower accelerating than an automobile. If there were no friction it would continue to move in the same direction but the friction is an unbalanced force can you think of sources friction in the mousetrap car? Technology Experiments. Here are some things to think about: wheel-to-axle ratio. Glue them in place using hot glue. I got over 70, and countingg.

Take some time to get to know your car. Use a ruler to make sure that the eye hooks are aligned with each other. Will come back again. If the energy from the mousetrap is released quickly, your car will accelerate quickly and run faster. This is potential energy with the lever arm pulled back as the mousetrap car moves this converts into kinetic energy. Vehicle KITS. When the trap snapped closed, it yanked the string forward. Acceleration is inversely proportional to the mass. To keep the axles centered you can cut the straws wider than the body so the axles don't go back ad forth so much or you can add extra rubber washers to the axle to keep it centered and move the wheels wider apart so they won't rub against the body. This is the base of the car, known as the chassis.

Over-tightening could be in the same way harmful because under-tightening. When winding the string around the drive axle make sure NOT to put any slack in the string. Foamcore board or balsa wood are often used for the body. Please help me bill. Many times formulas are based on units other than those you have collected your data with. Work — Power — Energy. CThelemarck ponyboi Reply 8 months ago. For a long distance mousetrap Low Power is desirable, work should be done over long period of time. Excellent job! After building a good kit car, designing your own will be much easier.

A dab of glue will help keep it in place. Answer 9 months ago. I am loving it!! Excellent job! I worked with my son to make one and he proceeded to show his friends. Foamcore board or balsa wood are often used for the body. If one snaps back on your hand it could break a finger. I wish my kids had a physics teacher like you! The lever arm which is attached to the mousetrap spring moves through a half circle which degrees.

Thank you! Question 1 year ago on Step 1. Second Law — states that force is proportional to acceleration but acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. Once the drive axle and mouse trap are released the string is pulled from the drive axle by the mouse trap and this causes the drive wheels to rotate. This is the base of the car, known as the chassis. Build a Mousetrap Car This mousetrap car project demonstrates how potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Here are some things to think about:. Some further thoughts on mousetrap car engineering. The above procedure used rubber bands to provide traction; can you think of a better way? If not, don't worry -- read the next page for information on how you can actually build a mousetrap-car.

The lever arm extends from the mousetrap spring as a lever to pull the string. If you look at my design for mousetrap car I used coat hanger wire, try to find straight sections. UkeDog CThelemarck Reply 10 months ago. Got all that? CThelemarck tlangstonstbs Answer 6 months ago. I wish my kids had a physics teacher like you! Be sure the straws are parallel to each other and the leading short edge of the cardboard. Reply 8 months ago.

I would take a good look at the car turning the wheels and observing what is happening to see if you can find the cause of the crookedness. There was a rubber powered event that had to go around an obstacle but you could make the steering adjustable to a fixed setting and then curve around the obstacle. I worked with my son to make one and he proceeded to show his friends. Learn all about mousetrap vehicle propulsion systems and how to make a mousetrap car move. A mousetrap powered car is a vehicle that is powered by the energy of a wound-up mouse trap's spring. Do you have any idea on how to turn the wheel of a mousetrap car?. As the string was pulled, friction between it and the axle caused the axle to rotate, spinning the wheels and moving the car forward. Answer Upvote.

Keep the good work up. I got over 70, and countingg. The force from the wound spring will decrease as the lever moves towards the opposite position from the start. To avoid too much inertia, think about how you can build a lighter car. Question 9 months ago. Hello there. I believe the first similar mousetrap car design was by Prof Jeff Bindon in the '70s who was teaching mechanical engineering at the University of Kwa Zulu Natal Durban, South Africa at the time. Now the whole neighborhood is littered with these things. I am taking your feeds also. Share it with us!

There are many different ways to build a mousetrap car. These will serve as your axles that rotate the wheels. If they are wobbly, you have to address that first by trying to straighten them. There will be a tradeoff. I worked with my son to make one and he proceeded to show his friends. Introduction: Build a Mousetrap Car. Once released, the mouse trap will pull the string from the drive axle causing the wheels to rotate propelling the vehicle. Good Luck. I will try to present this in a fun an easy to understand manner.

As you might guess, the materials used to build mousetrap-powered cars are light out of necessity. How to Build a Mousetrap Car Home Science Tools What You Need: Wooden snap-back mousetrap Duct tape 4 eye hooks Wooden dowel that fits inside the eye hooks Heavy cardboard Large and small rubber bands Foam board usually found at a craft store String Ruler or straight edge Utility knife Pliers What You Do: Cut four wheels out of a piece of foam board or corrugated cardboard adult supervision is necessary. CThelemarck isnp91DH Reply 4 months ago. I can't wait to complete this with my students. Comment Name Email Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I am taking your feeds also. For a long distance mousetrap Low Power is desirable, work should be done over long period of time. Use a generous bit of glue to hold it in place. I did grades 5 through 8th in summer class but it was a rush to get all cars constructed and run in 90 minutes.

Question 6 months ago. I have been having trouble with them. It should reach a bit longer than hook on the rear axle. As far as stopping at a certain point there is a Doc Fizzix car like that which uses a threaded rod and a wingnut. Put the large wheels on the back of the car, opposite the snapper arm. Once released, the mouse trap will pull the string from the drive axle causing the wheels to rotate propelling the vehicle. One way to do that would be to stretch rubber bands around the perimeter of the drive wheels. Doc Fizzix sells a torsion wheel to measure the torque of the mousetrap spring. Then look closely at the axles.

Mousetrap Cars: Propulsion by Alden J. It will be less than the coefficient of static friction. The latest mousetrap car uses a foam block for a chassis, coat hanger wire for axles, and CD wheels. Tie a small loop on the end. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it wise. Answer 6 months ago. If not you may need to straighten the straws. This will give you a longer piece of string than the one tied directly to the snapper arm.

Chassis — frame of the car to which the other components attach to. This article has brought meaning to my life. I have been having trouble with them. As far as stopping at a certain point there is a Doc Fizzix car like that which uses a threaded rod and a wingnut. When the lever arm is pulled all the way back the torque will be the greatest. Better kits use brass tubing. How do you true the wheels, axels and attach-point on the chassis? Then place the two pieces of cardboard on top of each other and tape the edges together to make one double thick piece of cardboard. Reply 8 months ago. Awsome site!

Great question. Second Law — states that force is proportional to acceleration but acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. There are a couple of things to think about if the wheels are rubbing against the frame. Download yours today. Tie the loop so it barely reaches the zip tie hook on the axle. Even though they work using principles of physics, you certainly don't need to be a physicist to build and enjoy them. CThelemarck musicalclef88 Answer 6 months ago. Some Doc Fizzix cars pivot the front axle and then allow you to tighten it down. When the trap snapped closed, it yanked the string forward. Thank you, I am trying to reference this site, can you tell me the date this page was created?

The device must come to a rest as close as possible to a point directly inline from its start location i. Great Googly Moogly I never realized how awe-inspiring mousetrap cars can be. You can stretch balloons over the wheels to add a little grip. You want a large static friction for best traction. We still sell the kit which is supplied to us by UKZN see attached. You want the lowest value of rolling friction. Do yuo doubt me? Remove the rod that is used to set the trap. For my experiment I measured the force in grams at 4 centimeters from the axis at 25, 90, and degrees. Doc Fizzix sells a torsion wheel to measure the torque of the mousetrap spring.

Hopefully you have identified that there are many physics concepts in this seemly simple model car. The axle alignment with the chassis of the car has to be that way also. That way when it releases it won't catch the hook, allowing the car to coast. Pull back the snapper arm until it reaches the other end of the trap, carefully. CThelemarck jlewis Reply 10 months ago. Candy Cannon by bearmaked in Launchers. For the mousetrap car it should be rigid yet lightweight. Once the car begins to slide, the force to keep it sliding will be less than what was required to start it. Second Law — states that force is proportional to acceleration but acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. Reply 10 months ago.

Many times formulas are based on units other than those you have collected your data with. The string should reach from the tip of the wooden dowel in its forward position, to the rear axle. These can be measured and included in the force and energy analysis. Answer Upvote. Hopefully you have identified that there are many physics concepts in this seemly simple model car. Place a piece of duct tape over the hole in the center of the DVD. While there are several other good mousetrap car Instructables and videos to be found out there and many car designs that travel faster and farther, I like these plans for their simplicity and ability to adapt and modify. I got over 70, and countingg. Analyze all the points of friction on your car, where two substances rubbing together can slow the car down or bring it to a stop. The only truly good website for mousetrap cars there is, good for science fair projects!

See picture at the top of the Instructable for placement. I am loving it!! Thank you so much! Many times formulas are based on units other than those you have collected your data with. There are many different ways to build a mousetrap car. Besides the concepts you mentioned, you could add potential energy as well. This will be the underside of the car. In the first prototypes of the bamboo mousetrap car I noticed that the chassis was twisting from the force of the lever arm pulling on the rear axle. I used to not know how to make a mousetrap car. If I have the kids from 9am to 4pm, is this a 1 day project?

CThelemarck mtumenas Answer 1 year ago. It is my plan to expand on this and introduce even greater educational aspects that go along with the projects. Try different materials for the body, axles, wheels etc. See picture at the top of the Instructable for placement. Remove the rod that is used to set the trap. Build a Mousetrap Car This mousetrap car project demonstrates how potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Thank you! Phone Hours: Mon. A dab of glue will help keep it in place.

Attach the mousetrap to the chassis, using duct tape. At this point you should test the car to see if it rolls straight. This webpage on mousetrap cars was redone last year, I had a somewhat different webpage for several years. After building a good kit car, designing your own will be much easier. Reply 4 months ago. Reply 8 months ago. I used to not know how to make a mousetrap car. Mousetrap Cars: Propulsion by Alden J.

Now my warehouse has approximately mousetrap cars and counting. Rocket Planter by SimonRob in Decorating. It will be less than the coefficient of static friction. I worked with my son to make one and he proceeded to show his friends. The design of your car allowed that energy to be transferred to the axle to make the wheels turn. If one snaps back on your hand it could break a finger. Build a Mousetrap Car This mousetrap car project demonstrates how potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. Pingback: 31Aug — Term1, Day18 — cvintroengcar.