Mousetrap Powered Vehicle
Objectives
Design guidelines
The Contest
Grading
Design considerations
What effect does the following have?
Wheels
Axles
Body
Other Things:
- To design a mousetrap powered vehicle to go the greatest distance.
- To make a drawing of your mousetrap powered vehicle.
- To write an explanation of how your mousetrap-powered vehicle will work and why you designed it the way you did.
- To apply what you have learned to solve a problem.
Design guidelines
- One vehicle powered by a single mousetrap (provided).
- The trap spring may not be altered
- Additional power aids may not be used, (ramps, rubber bands, etc.).
- The vehicle may be made of any material. Pre-made kits may not be used.
- By definition, a vehicle is “any device with wheels or runners used to carry something, such as a car, bus, bicycle, or sled. Therefore launching a ball or tiny car using a catapult will be considered a violation of contest rules and will not be judged or graded.
The Contest
- A total of two runs per vehicle will be recorded and monitored. The winner will be the vehicle that travels the furthest on either of its runs. Any ties will be decided by a single run of each vehicle.
- Your distance that will be used for your grade will be the furthest of the 2 trials.
Grading
- Drawing & explanation. (10 %)
- Vehicle (90 %)
- 50% of vehicle participation
- 40% of vehicle distance
- Extra credit points will be given for the distance traveled. (1/4 point for each foot traveled not to exceed 20 points)
Design considerations
What effect does the following have?
Wheels
- Made from wood?
- Size in diameter?
- Thickness matter?
- All wheels the same size best?
- 4 wheels best? 3? 5?
- Made from plastic (example: acrylic)?
- Made from metal?
- Added traction on wheels?
- No wheels at all?
Axles
- Wood?
- Metal?
- Plastic?
- Diameter matter?
- Hole or way axle revolves in body?
Body
- Added weight? Where? Front? Back?
- Size? Width and/or length?
- Made from wood? Plastic? Sheet metal? Polystyrene (“Styrofoam”)?
- Paper-mache?
Other Things:
- Can the mousetrap power it another way? (Rather than string around an axle?)
- Is there some way to “steer” it? (or a method to keep it going as straight as possible?)
- Front and rear wheel drive?
- Is string needed or the best material to use?
- The way the string (if used) is wound around the axle.
- Body parallel to floor? Rear end raised/ lowered?
- Wider rear (front) wheelbase?
- Does the mousetrap have to be ATTACHED to the vehicle?
- Does the mousetrap have to lay horizontal to the floor?
- You can’t change the SPRING on the mousetrap, but how about if you altered the…?