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 May
21, 2002
In
this program, contestants of all ages test and tweak their
designs in order to come up the best machine. Now FRONTIERS
challenges you to put your own design skills to the test!
Try your hand at creating and building a "mousetrap car."
A mousetrap can make the perfect "motor" for a homemade car.
As the trap closes, the metal bar can be used to pull a string
that has been wound around the car's "axle," propelling the
car forward. While many aspects of the design can change,
this will be the basic method of movement.
Encourage
some friends to join in, then hold a contest to see whose
car can travel the farthest. We invite you to send us a QuickTime
video of your results (details below).
Contestants with the most original, and farthest-traveling,
designs will be posted on our site. All submissions will be
eligible to receive free prizes, including a FRONTIERS T-shirt
or a Walkalong Glider!
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Ground
Rules
- Design a vehicle powered by the release of a mousetrap
spring.
- The vehicle must cover a flat distance of 5-meters in
the shortest amount of time.
- No additional power source can be applied to the vehicle.
- You cannot use more than $5.00 worth of material in the
construction of the car.
- Wear protective eye gear when assembling and launching
the vehicle.
Materials
- Mousetrap
(about 2 inches by 4 inches)
- Construction
materials - such as candy box, used CDs, etc. (maximum $5.00
value)
- Protective
eye gear
- Tools
for constructing car
-
Meter stick (for measuring distances traveled)
- Video
camcorder (optional)
WARNING:
We strongly recommend wearing protective eye gear when building
and launching the mousetrap cars. Be mindful of the "snap"
of the mousetrap bar and use caution when opening, setting,
and releasing the tension bar. Do not use rat traps. Rat traps
can easily break a finger when snapped shut.
Getting
Started
- To get some ideas, take a look at the following sites:
ScienceNet
- Mousetrap Cars
A QuickTime movie of a mousetrap car in action.
Car
Designs
An online photo album of winning mousetrap car designs.
- Make
a list. What design elements must be common to all cars?
Which parts of the design can be customized?
- Use
what you've learned to create a blueprint for your prototype
mousetrap car. Don't be extravagant. Keep the design simple.
Once you get a working model, you can always improve on
the design.
- Now
assemble your car. Make sure that you adhere to the construction
techniques and design you presented in your blueprints.
- Test
the design. Does the car work? How can it travel farther?
Where is energy lost? How can the mousetrap action be converted
more efficiently into movement of the car? Now redesign
your car to improve its performance.
Food
for Thought
Can you gain an advantage with a longer "pull bar?" Will
leverage increase the effectiveness of the mousetrap action?
What types of wheels work best? Is there an optimum size and
width for the wheels? Are three wheels better than four?
Let
'em fly!
Identify a flat area that is several meters in length, then
see how far each car can travel. Who has the best design?
Keep tweaking your designs. Who improves the most? Whose design
is the fastest, if not the farthest?
Send
Us Your Video
FRONTIERS
wants to see your winning mousetrap car in action! Send your
name, age, and school (if applicable,) along with a QuickTime
movie to saf@pbs.org with
the subject heading "Mousetrap Car Video." Selected movies
will be posted on this site. All submissions are eligible
for a drawing for free prizes, including a Walkalong
Glider!
IMPORTANT:
In order to be eligible, all students under 18 must have a
release form signed
by a parent and mailed to Chedd-Angier, 70 Coolidge Hill Rd.,
Watertown, MA 02472.
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