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What design features help a mousetrap car travel the farthest distance?

What design features help a mousetrap car travel the farthest distance?

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 are the best materials for 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 far can a mouse trap car travel?

5-meter
OBJECTIVE: Build a vehicle, powered solely by the energy of one standard-sized mouse trap, (1 3/4″ X 3 7/8″), that will travel a 5-meter linear distance in the shortest amount of time.

How do you make a mousetrap car go faster and further?

lever arm length When you design a mousetrap car, you usually add a lever arm to the mousetrap car to extend the rotational distance the entire mousetrap bar travels. If you haven’t realized it yet, increasing the length of the lever arm attached to the mousetrap, increases the total mechanical advantage of the car.

How do mousetrap cars reduce friction?

Try to have a minimum gap of 1/8 inch between the frame and any spacers (or wheels) in order to decrease any rubbing friction. Use thrust washers and graphite powder between spacers (or wheels) and the frame to help reduce the rubbing friction.

What makes a mousetrap car move?

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 long should the lever arm be on a mousetrap car for distance?

4 1/
For maximum speed, position the mousetrap 2 1/4 inches from the drive axle and cut the lever arm to a length of 4 1/4 inches. The lever arm can be cut using a dremel tool or by using a fine tooth hobby saw. The lever arm should always be “just” long enough to reach the drive axle or performance will be compromised.

How far did the world record mousetrap car go?

182 meters
Description: The secret to Doc Fizzix’s world record setting mousetrap distance racer that traveled over 182 meters was it’s unique pulley system. This is the same pulley set-up that was used on Doc Fizzix’s world record setting mousetrap distance car.

What makes a fast mousetrap car?

A speedy mousetrap car will have smaller wheels (faster acceleration), a shorter lever arm (increased torque, but smaller travel distance), a larger axle (increased acceleration) and will generally be smaller to decrease air resistance.

What is the friction of a mousetrap car?

A moving mousetrap car is affected by two type of friction: airfriction and bearing friction. Airfriction is a large factor only with cars that are moving fast and is nearly negligible for slow-moving distance cars; therefore, in this lab you will only take bearing friction into consideration.

How do you make a mouse trap car?

Put the large wheels on the back of the car, opposite the snapper arm. Wrap a small rubber band around the axle on either side of each wheel so the wheels can’t fall off. 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.

How to make a mousetrap car?

Materials

  • Car Body. Take the 2 pieces of cardboard (about 4”x10”) and cut a rectangular notch (about 1”x2“) in the center of the short side of each piece of
  • Attach the Straws.
  • The Mousetrap.
  • Preparing the Wheels.
  • Adding the Axles and Wheels.
  • Attaching the Hook to the Rear Axle.
  • You’re Done!!!

    • How do Mousetrap-powered cars work?

    At their most basic, mousetrap-powered cars consist of: A body — usually flat and elongated to hold the mousetrap A spring-loaded, conventional mousetrap — the “engine” of the car Wheels — four are most common, but people have made modified designs with three or even two Axles and axle sub-assemblies String — used to transfer trap energy to the wheels

    What are mouse traps?

    Live mouse traps are all variations of a box which allows the mouse to enter but prevents it from escaping. Like the kill traps, live mouse traps are most effective with the use of bait.