What makes a mousetrap car go farther?
What makes a mousetrap car go farther?
To adapt your mousetrap car for distance, use large, light wheels for less friction and greater inertia. For example, old CDs make great wheels to increase distance. If your car is a rear-wheel drive car, set the wheels on a narrow rear axle so the wheels turn more and travel further.
What is the fastest mousetrap car?
The Speed-Trap Racer is the fastest mousetrap powered racer anywhere and was designed after Doc Fizzix's own record-setting mousetrap racer that traveled 5 meters in 1.2 seconds.
What is the best way to build a mousetrap car for distance?
The ideal size for an ultra big wheel on a long distance mousetrap racer seams to be somewhere between 10 and 15 inches.
Why is my mousetrap car not moving?
If a mousetrap vehicle is struggling to move and/or needs more acceleration then the lever arms can be shortened in order to increase the pulling force. Keep in mind that you will also have to reposition the mouse trap closer to the drive axle or the system will not work as intended.
Where should you place the mousetrap for the best performance if you want speed?
For optimal performance the mouse trap should be positioned on the chassis so that the tip of the lever arm falls directly above the drive axle when the mousetrap vehicle is in it's fully wound position (as pictured bellow).
What do you need for a mousetrap car?
step #1: Attach a lever arm to the side of the mouse trap's snapper using several pieces of picture wire or three small zip-ties as pictured. step #2: Trim any left over wire/tip-zie and then place a small amount of super glue on the wire/zip-ties to secure them in place and to the snapper arm.
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 is an axle hook?
An important part of a mousetrap vehicles propulsion system is the axle hook. … The most common way to propel a mousetrap car is to attach one end of a string to a mouse trap's snapper arm and the other end of the string to an axle hook.
How do all 3 of Newton’s laws of motion apply to mousetrap powered vehicles?
The mouse trap car relates to Newtons first law because the car does not move until the force of the mousetrap moves it and then it doesn't stop until it hits something or until gravity finally stops it. … Newtons third law affects the car because for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
How do you slow down a mouse trap?
If instead the mousetrap vehicle is shins it's wheels when placed on the ground, or traveling two fast causing it to have to much friction, you may have to increase the length of the mouse trap's lever arm and reposition the mouse trap away from the drive axle in order to slow the vehicle down and decrease the pulling …
How do you make a mousetrap car go backwards?
To make a reversing mousetrap car go forward and then come back you will need to know how to "back-wind" the string. Back-winding the string it a technique where you first wind the string around the axle in one direction and then rewind the string in the opposite direction.