Here are the results from 5 of our Mousetrap Car tests!
We chose the best ones and Series No 3 gives our best distance
to time ratio with 60 tiles in 35 seconds!
You can watch the videos of these tests on our 'Video Clip' Post.
Enjoy!
SERIES
1
DISTANCE
TIME
2 ft
5
5 ft
10
7 ft
15
14 ft
20
16 ft
25
3 ft
30
SERIES
2
DISTANCE
TIME
3 ft
5
5 ft
10
7 ft
15
12 ft
20
16 ft
25
7 ft
30
2 ft
35
SERIES
3
DISTANCE
TIME
3 ft
5
5 ft
10
9 ft
15
12 ft
20
16 ft
25
10 ft
30
5 ft
35
SERIES
4
DISTANCE
TIME
6 ft
5
9 ft
10
13 ft
15
16 ft
20
12 ft
25
3 ft
30
0 ft
35
SERIES
5
DISTANCE
TIME
2 ft
5
7 ft
10
12 ft
15
18 ft
20
9 ft
25
3 ft
30
2 ft
35
To figure out our Mousetrap Cars average speed, we created a graph charting our best Mousetrap Car testing results and created a 'line of best fit' For those who do not know, a line of best fit is "A line on a scatter plot which can be drawn near the points to more clearly show the trend between two sets of data." (staff.argyll.epsb.ca/jreed/math9/strand4/4104.htm)
27/05/2012 : ^This is best test by far. We reached 60 floor tiles in 35 seconds.
If the door had not brought the mousetrap to a stop, I'm sure it would have reached 70+ floor tiles.
11/06/2012: ^ We have set a new and final record! Last week, we reached 98 floor tiles in 45 seconds.
Step 1: Get Supplies (please view the post concerning the `Bill of Materials`).
Step 2: Create frame. (format: length x width x thickness)
This is a side view of what your frame (chassis) should look like so far.
Cut 37cm x 4cm x 0.5cm of chloroplast with scissors. Just enough space to support the mousetrap.
Cut 2 pieces of 45cm x 1cm x 1cm jinx wood with the scroll saw.
Make holes along it`s side with drill press (for the axles).
Glue it using a hot glue gun onto the top of your chloroplast frame.
Step 3: Create a transmission.
Side view of a finished transmission.
Using the metal lathe, make a transmission (6cm x 4.7cm x 4.7 with 4 levels.
Step 4: Create the rear-end of the mouse trap car.
Bird`s eye view of the third production step. Be careful with the hot glue gun!
Using the scroll saw, cut 2 13cm x 1cm x 1cm pieces of jinx wood to make the frame big enough for the transmission.
Create holes along the sides for the axles.
Glue one of the pieces of jinx wood to one side.
Slide in the stick (23cm x 0.5cm x 0.5cm) for the axle with the transmission attached to it.
Glue the other piece of jinx wood to the other side, trapping the transmission in place.
Step 5: Attach the back wheels.
Grab the 2 vinyl records (30cm x 30cm x 0.2cm) and slide them halfway onto each side of the axle, leaving room on both sides to add support with triangulation.
Add triangulation (cut 90 degree, right angle triangles and glue one side to axle and other to the disk.
Add 4 on each side to get maximum strength
Step 6: Attach the front wheels.
Slide in the front axle stick (23cm x 0.5cm x 0.5cm) into the holes on the side of the jinx wood.
Since the CD holes are really big, we created a piece of wood to slide onto each end of the front axle and hold to CD`s in place.
*Blue things are blue beads.
Grab the 2 CD`s and slide them halfway onto each side after putting on a blue bead (to stop friction between the two) on each side of the front axle, leaving room on both sides to add support with triangulation.
Add triangulation (cut 90 degree, right angle triangles and glue one side to axle and other to the disk.
Add 4 on each side to get maximum strength .
Glue a blue bead on each end to ensure the CD`s do not fall out.
Step 7: Attach the mousetrap, lever arm and string.
*Red rectangular thing is the mousetrap. * White lines represent string and tape.
Tie, then wrap the string counter-clockwise around the transmission.
Glue the mouse trap onto the frame, but as far away from the transmission as you can (more room for the string to unravel).
Tip: Your lever arm should be longer than the frame of your mousetrap car.
Create a hole at the top of your lever arm (to tie the string to).
Tape and tie (with pipe cleaners) the lever arm to one side (your choice) of the mousetrap`s rectangular, metal piece (the snapping piece).