Mousetrap Car Project

OBJECTIVES

 design a mousetrap car that will travel a maximum DISPLACEMENT  demonstrate an understanding of the physics principles incorporated in your design (in a written report).

DESIGN INSTRUCTIONS

1. The vehicle must be powered by a single supplied by your instructor (no rat traps allowed). You are not allowed to "heat treat" the spring to enhance tensile strength.

2. You have complete design freedom concerning vehicle size, vehicle weight, and materials used (except for the mouse trap "engine").

3. CAR-KITS PURCHASED AT A HOBBY STORE OR ON-LINE ARE ABSOLUTELY PROHIBITED. The intent of this project is for you to research, design, and build your own car from "scratch" i.e. from individual components you have purchased, already have on hand at home or made. Please be aware that I am confident in my ability to identify purchased kits. Parts from toys (Example: tires from models, K'NEX parts, Erector Set parts, etc) are allowed if prior approved either before or at checkpoint 1.

4. You will not be permitted to "push start" your vehicle i.e. upon release, your vehicle must start moving on its own.

5. Only final displacement will be measured; "total distance traveled " does not count (i.e. the straighter the travel line, the better your grade will be).

6. Displacement will be measured from the starting line position to the front-most part of the vehicle at its final resting point.

7. Your goal is 10 meters or more. All cars must achieve a minimum of 1 meter displacement. Car performance is a significant part of your project grade so test your design, make improvements and then test some more! Mousetrap Car Rubric

4 3 2 1 0 5 Exceeds Meets Approaching Working Toward No Section Advanced Achievement Score Standard Standard Standard Standard Attempt

Mousetrap Neat construction and Neat construction and Good construction and Car holds together, but Poor construction and Car assembly. Excellent attention assembly. Excellent attention assembly and good attention looks like a last-minute assembly. No attention to Construction to detail. Excellent use of to detail. Good use of to detail. Appropriate use of project. detail. materials and creativity in materials. Demonstrates materials. Demonstrates Weight: 3 design. some creativity in design. minimal creativity in design.

Final displacement is greater Final displacement is Final displacement is Final displacement is Final displacement is less Mousetrap than 15 meters. between 11 and 14 meters. between 5 and 10 meters. between 1 and 3 meters. than 1 m, but car does Car actually move. Displacement

Weight: 3 Includes excellent graphical Includes good graphical Includes good graphical Includes minimal graphical Includes poor graphical Mousetrap analysis of motion of analysis of motion of analysis of motion of analysis of motion of the analysis of motion of the Car mousetrap car. Evidence of mousetrap car. Evidence of mousetrap car. Evidence of mousetrap car. Trials mousetrap car. Very few or Graphical several trials. More than one several trials. More than one several trials. Quality data limited. Includes average only one trial conducted. Analysis of kind of graph is included. kind of graph included. table and graph included. quality data table and graph. Poor quality data table and Motion Includes high quality data Includes quality data tables graph. tables and graphs. and graphs. Weight: 2 Demonstrates excellent Demonstrates good Demonstrates good Demonstrates limited Demonstrates limited Mousetrap conceptual understanding of conceptual understanding of conceptual understanding of conceptual understanding of conceptual understanding of Car physics principles behind a physics principles behind a physics principles behind a physics principles behind a physics principles behind a Conceptual mousetrap car. Utilizes mousetrap car. Uses mousetrap car, such as but mousetrap car. Shows an mousetrap car. Shows an Physics experimental documentation to evidence from project to not limited to: wheel-to-axle understanding of less than understanding of less than Analysis illustrate significant demonstrate understanding diameter ratio, lever arm five key physics principles, three key physics principles, understanding of key of key principles. Effectively length, material selection, such as but not limited to: such as but not limited to: Weight: 5 principles. Effectively uses uses graphics to explain key overall mass, friction, wheel-to-axle diameter ratio, wheel-to-axle diameter ratio, graphics to explain key ideas. ideas. Newton’s laws. Uses lever arm length, material lever arm length, material graphics to explain key ideas. selection, overall mass, selection, overall mass, friction, Newton’s laws. friction, Newton’s laws. Excellent explanation of the Excellent explanation of the Good explanation of the Poor explanation of the Poor explanation of the Mousetrap strengths and weaknesses of strengths and weaknesses of strengths and weaknesses of strengths and weaknesses of strengths and weaknesses of Car mousetrap car design and mousetrap car design and mousetrap car design and mousetrap car design and mousetrap car design and Conclusion performance. Excellent performance. Good analysis performance. Good analysis performance. Poor analysis performance. No analysis of analysis of sources of error of sources of error and of sources of error. Minimal of sources of error. Minimal sources of error. No Weight: 3 and suggestions for redesign. suggestions for redesign. suggestions for redesign. or no suggestions for suggestions for redesign. redesign. Quality of Report flows in a logical Report flows in a logical Report flows in a logical Report flows awkwardly Report flows awkwardly Mousetrap manner from start to finish, manner from start to finish, manner from start to finish, from start to finish. from start to finish. Errors Car Report and finishes with a and finishes with a and finishes with a Several errors or grammar in spelling and/or grammar thoughtful conclusion. Well- thoughtful conclusion. thoughtful conclusion. mistakes are present. interfere with the flow of Weight:; 1 organized and written with Report is well organized Report is well organized Presentation is not the report. Report is no spelling or grammar and written, with few and written, with few professional throughout. poorly organized and mistakes. Exceptional spelling or grammar spelling or grammar written. Presentation is not presentation of report. mistakes. Professional mistakes. Professional professional. presentation throughout. presentation throughout.