Old CDs or DVDs work fairly well for this purpose — they’re large, thin, and extremely light. …
If you have access to old vinyl, these also work extremely well, though they may be too heavy for the smallest mousetraps.
What are the best size wheels for a mousetrap car?
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The ideal size for an ultra big wheel on a long distance mousetrap racer seams to be somewhere between 10 and 15 inches. And the ideal size for a drive wheel on a speed-trap racer seams to be between 2 and 3 inches but no more than 4 inches.
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.
Are CD wheels good for mousetrap car?
Because CDs and DVDs are some of the best wheels you will ever find for building a long distance mousetrap powered vehicle. CD/DVD wheels can slice through the air with very little air resistance and they have very little rotational inertia.
What makes a good mousetrap car?
You’ll want to design your car to have a light body, have large rear wheels, and you’ll want to position the mousetrap as close to the front of the car as possible. Having a light bodied mouse trap car allows for less work to have to be done by the mousetrap getting the car going.
How do you increase torque on a mousetrap car?
The gearing of a mousetrap car determines the acceleration and the travel distance.
Increase the torque by any of the following:
shorten the length of the lever arm.
using a smaller diameter drive wheels, or.
increase the diameter of the drive axle.
What can I use as an axle for a mousetrap car?
A mousetrap car can be made from cardboard or balsa wood with CD’s for wheels and axles of wood or brass tubing.
Are 3 wheels faster than 4?
Basically you get more speed. Less stability. More speed with basically the same degree of maneuverability. Whereas with the four wheeled skates with bigger wheels’ 90-110mm, you’re getting probably even more speed when you go long distances, just a tiny bit more, but less maneuverability.
How many wheels should I put on my mousetrap car?
It’s probably best to use 4 wheels. The CDs are a good choice for both sets of wheels. How do I make a mousetrap car go? The arm should have a string attached to it, with the other end of the string wrapped around the back axle (which will spin the axle when the arm snaps forward).
Do More wheels make a difference?
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.
How do I keep my mousetrap wheels straight?
File the back of the front axle hole on the side of the frame opposite the direction the vehicle is turning. bonus tip: Once the axle holes are in alignment the mousetrap vehicle will travel straight.
What is the fastest mousetrap car?
The Speed-Trap Racer
Description: 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.
How do I make my mousetrap car accelerate faster?
Changing and/or attaching a lever arm to the mousetrap is the number one way to control a mousetrap vehicle’s performance. Shorter lever arms have more pulling force and produce greater acceleration.
How long should the lever arm be on a mousetrap car for speed?
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.
How do you increase the mechanical advantage of a mousetrap car?
The higher the mechanical advantage, the slower and longer the distance my mousetrap car will travel. Two ways to increase the mechanical advantage of the car is having the lever be longer and having larger wheels (or thinner axles because it really depends on the ratio between the wheels and the axles).
How long should the lever arm be on a mousetrap car?
Build your mousetrap powered car using a 12-inch lever arm and make sure not to glue the mousetrap to the frame.
What effect would a larger lever have on the mousetrap car?
Longer lever arms will have less pulling force than shorter lever arm but longer lever arm will pull more string from the drive axle than shorter lever arm. Changing and/or attaching a lever arm to the mouse trap is the number one way to control a mousetrap vehicles performance.
Should a mousetrap car be heavy or light?
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.
What are the most important parts of a mousetrap car?
A mouse-trap car is a vehicle that is powered by the energy that can be stored in a wound up mouse-trap spring. The most basic design is as follows: a string is attached to a mouse-trap’s lever arm and then the string is wound around a drive axle causing the mouse-trap’s spring to be under tension.
Is friction important in a mousetrap car?
Friction is a force that acts against the motion of all moving objects. Energy is required to overcome friction and keep an object moving. Mousetrap cars start with a limited supply of energy.This energy is used to overcome friction and propel the vehicle.
How do you put wheels on a mousetrap car?
Simply put that on the hole like that. And you have to give it a quick snap you can't you gotta snap it on in there snap it in there.
