Table of Contents
How do you increase the distance on a mousetrap car?
Use a narrow rear axle. If your rear axle is extremely skinny, your mousetrap car will be able to turn it more times for the same length of string than it would if it were wider. This translates to turning your rear wheels more times, meaning greater distance!.
How far can a mouse trap car travel?
This most basic design can propel a vehicle several meters for any first-time builder. But in order to build vehicles that can travel over 100 meters or extreme speed cars that can travel 5 meters in less than a second,you must learn about some of the different variables that affect the performance of a mouse-trap car.
What will make a mousetrap car go faster?
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 world record distance for a mousetrap vehicle?
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.
How long should the lever arm be on a mousetrap car for distance?
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.
Is a mousetrap car better when it is smaller or bigger in length?
Most record-setting long distance mousetrap vehicles are geared so that they have the smallest possible energy consumption rate or power output in order to maximize the pulling distance. Smaller power outputs produce less wasted energy and have greater efficiency.
Is weight important in a mousetrap car?
Reduce the most friction you can because the more friction the more energy is lost in propelling the car. Mass should also be taken into account, the more the car weighs the more energy from the mousetrap spring will be used so it’ll be best to make the car light weight.
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.
Why is it better to have large wheels for the drive axle on a mousetrap car?
Larger drive wheels will have a greater travel distance per each turn compared to smaller drive wheel. The smaller the diameter of the drive axle in comparison to the diameter of the drive wheel the more force that will be required to accelerate the vehicle but the greater the distance of travel per rotation.
What kind of string do you use for a mousetrap car?
The string has to be strong enough to handle the pulling force but flexible and thin enough to wind tightly around the drive axle. We recommend using a Kevlar based fishing line because its high strength. You should stay away from nylon fishing line and dental floss, these do not work well with mousetrap racers.
What wheels should I use for a mousetrap car?
As you might guess, the materials used to build mousetrap-powered cars are light out of necessity. Foamcore board or balsa wood are often used for the body. The wheels can be off-the-shelf radio-controlled car wheels, but many builders use blank CDs or DVDs because their thin edges reduce friction.
Where should I place the mousetrap for the best performance for distance?
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 mouse trap is in the fully wound position (as pictured bellow). If the mouse trap is not aligned properly with the drive axle energy will be wasted off the start.
What is an axle hook on a mousetrap car?
An important part of a mousetrap vehicles propulsion system is the axle hook. If the string does not properly release from the drive axle the string will rewind around the drive axle and cause the mousetrap car to come to an instant stop.
Should the string be tied to the axle Why or why not?
The string must not be tied to the axle. If the string is tied to the axle, it will begin to rewind itself and will cause your car to come to a sudden stop. In order to achieve maximum performance from your mouse-trap car, it is important that the pulling string does not slip off the drive axle prematurely.
What is the effect of using large or small wheels?
While larger-diameter wheels and tires should improve handling and high-speed performance, lower-profile tires also tend to have a firmer ride and may be noisier than the smaller, standard rubber. Some potential performance benefits may be offset by the additional weight of the larger tires and wheels.
Is 3 or 4 wheels better for a mousetrap car?
The answer depends on the contest, if we are to build a super fast accelerating speed-trap racer then over coming rotational inertia is one of the main objectives therefor three wheels will always do better than four wheels when it comes to performance.
What happens if the mousetrap is too close to the drive axle?
7. What happens if the mousetrap is mounted too close to the drive axle? The energy goes too quickly and you lose pulling force.
What are some features of a mousetrap car made for long distance?
Long-Distance Racer: Most top long-distance mousetrap racers will have large drive wheels, small drive axles, and long lever arms. Long-Distance Racers will be slow moving so as to decrease friction as much as possible and extend the pulling distance of the mouse trap.
