Mousetrap Car

by hannah.osborne2 in Craft > Cardboard

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Mousetrap Car

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A mousetrap car is a car powered by the energy of a wound-up mouse traps spring, and once the mousetrap is set off it pulls on the string rotating the axel and moving the car forward. People build mousetrap cars because they are a classic physics challenge involving science concept, applied math, and design possibilities. The cars purpose is to travel the furthest and fastest by just using the energy stored from a single mousetrap. The car relates to motion as the car does not move until the force of a mousetrap moves it then doesn't stop until it hits something or gravity finally stops it.

Supplies

  • 2 pieces of Cardboard 10cm x 23cm
  • 4 CD's
  • 2 axels 15 cm
  • 2 straws to fit over the axels
  • 1 Mousetrap
  • 1 dowel 30cm
  • Masking tape
  • Zip ties
  • Scissors

Method

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  1. Place both pieces of card board in front of you. Cut a rectangular notch 4cm x 5cm on the short side of each piece of cardboard so that the notches overlap.
  2. Place the two pieces of cardboard on top of each other and tape them together to make a double thick piece of cardboard. Make sure the notches line up.
  3. Cut 3 sections of straw to fit on the body of the car. Glue them in place using a glue gun. Make sure the straws are parallel and the axles spin freely.
  4. Cut a 30cm dowel length and use 2-3 zip ties to secure the dowel to the snap arm and reinforce it with tape or hot glue.
  5. Glue the mousetrap in place near the front on top of the cardboard with the glue gun. Be sure the closed snap and dowel is pointing forward (away from the notch in the cardboard).
  6. Glue the faucet washers into the centre of the CD's. Be sure to use a generous bit of glue to make sure they hold.
  7. Place the 15cm axles into the straws and press the wheels onto each end.
  8. Attach a zip tie to the centre of the rear axle exposed by the notch in the cardboard, and cut it short. This is the hook for the string. A dab of glue will help keep it in place.
  9. Tape a piece of string to the end of the dowel. On the other end tie a small loop. It should be long enough to reach the hook on the rear axle.