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How to Make a Car with a Mouse Trap

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A mousetrap car can make for a great science project, a physics class experiment or a fun weekend activity. These toy cars are often used to help students understand mechanical performance, distance and gravity. Many teachers even turn this experiment into a race car race. The potential energy stored in the spring of the swingarm in the mousetrap will be converted into kinetic energy and propel the car. To make such a car, you will need the right materials, some knowledge of the principles of physics and a little effort.

Prepare to do

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 1

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 1

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Visualize a car with a mousetrap. You’ll need to attach the mousetrap to the floor (aka the bodywork) to form the chassis, wheels, and engine for the vehicle to run. These miniature car models are often used in physics experiments when learning about mechanical efficiency, gravity and transmission. In this example, we will use thick cardboard for the floor, but you can use the following materials:

  • Foam core
  • Old toy car frame.
  • A piece of light and durable wood, such as balsa wood.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 2

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 2

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Apply physics knowledge to get the best results. You can modify the vehicle’s design to achieve specific goals. For example, if there’s a competition in physics class to see which car goes the farthest, you’ll need:

  • The lighter the vehicle, the better. If the bodywork is made of solid material, you will need to punch holes in the frame and wheels.
  • Use thin and stiff wheels.
  • Reduce air resistance by making the front end small and smooth. [1] [2]
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 3

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 3

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Up to the road surface, cars will run. If your car needs to go uphill or on hilly terrain, small wheels will be better able to handle slopes due to inertia. Larger wheels can help the car run better on flat surfaces like a table or floor. [3]
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 4

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 4

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Collect materials. As mentioned above, you can use a variety of materials to make a mousetrap car. Some more options are listed in the “Tips” section below. However, to make a car with a mousetrap like the example in this article, you will need:

  • Compa (to draw circles)
  • Fabric Tape
  • A strong rope
  • Elastic band/rubber band
  • 4 studs (4)
  • Thick cardboard or foam core
  • Mouse trap
  • Pliers
  • Ruler
  • 2 thin dowels
  • Multi-purpose knife
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Making wheels and chassis

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 5

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 5

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Make wheels. You need to make 4 wheels out of cardboard or foam core. Use a compass or a circular object and a pencil to draw circles on the cardboard that will become the wheel. In this example, we will use 2.5 cm diameter circles for the front wheel, and 5 cm for the rear wheel. After drawing the wheels, you will:

  • Use a knife to cut the wheels.
  • Loop the rubber band around the rim for extra grip.
  • You can also use CDs, DVDs, and vinyl records to make wheels. [4]
  • NOTE : In this example, we will use a large rear wheel and a smaller front wheel.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 6

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 6

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Remove the dangerous sharp teeth on the swing arm of the mousetrap. [5] Find a rod that has the effect of setting traps on mouse traps. There are often sharp teeth on the hooks. Carefully remove the retainer and use pliers to remove all teeth if present.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 7

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 7

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Create a chassis from thick cardboard. To mount the mousetrap, the chassis must be about 1.3 cm larger than the trap on all sides. You need to measure and draw on the cardboard, then use a separate cutter to create the frame. [6]

  • Balsa or chunks of wood can be used to make a light but sturdy chassis. [7]
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 8

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 8

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Mount the mousetrap on the chassis. Place the mousetrap in the middle of the chassis, then use fabric tape or packing tape to secure all 4 sides of the mousetrap to the chassis.

  • Avoid sticking on the spring when fixing the mousetrap. You should see the spring between the trap and the swingarm.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 9

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 9

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Align and attach the studs under the chassis. These studs will hold the rods that act as the axles which are then attached to the wheel. Cars won’t go straight if any of the studs are misaligned. So you should:

  • Use a ruler and pencil to mark the positions of the studs in the four corners of the chassis.
  • Use the ruler to check the markings for alignment.
  • Screw the studs through the cardboard to the spot just marked.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 10

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 10

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Make the axle. [8] Cut 2 skewers 4 cm longer than the width between the studs. These skewers/pins will be the axles for the wheels and must be thin to pass through the studs and spin freely.

  • Buttons that are too thick or slats that are too small will cause the axle to rotate in the stud and can affect the straightness of the vehicle.
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Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 11

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 11

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Attach the wheel to the axle. [9] You can use the pointed end of a compass to poke holes in the center of each wheel. So the holes will be slightly smaller than the rods for the axles. You will then:

  • Wrap the rubber band around the axle so that it is close to the body of the vehicle but not touching the body of the vehicle. The rubber band will form a cushion between the wheel and the body of the vehicle, but can create friction if it touches the body of the vehicle.
  • Press the wheel to the axle. The big wheel will be mounted on the rear axle, the small wheel will be mounted on the front axle of the vehicle.
  • The rod for the axle should protrude about 2.5 cm from the wheel.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 12

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 12

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Do not allow the wheel to come apart or become misaligned. You can do this by wrapping thin rubber bands around the skewer just outside the wheel. The rubber band will keep the wheel from coming out of the car.

Let the car run

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 13

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 13

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Tie the rope to the swingarm. Carefully lift the swingarm just enough to thread one end of the rope underneath, then wrap the rope around the arm and tie a knot to secure the rope.

  • Just use a regular knot like a square knot to tie the rope to the mousetrap’s swing arm.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 14

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 14

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Cut the rope. Before you cut the rope, you need to make sure that it is long enough to stick out beyond the rear axle of the vehicle. The longer the rope, the longer it takes for the trap to release, and this will cause the vehicle to accelerate more slowly, but travel longer distances. [10]
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 15

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 15

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Prepare the transmission line. The rope is the part that transmits the force from the mousetrap’s spring to the rear wheel of the car. Reattach the swingarm and hold in place. While holding the swing arm, you will:

  • Use your other hand to tighten the rope around the rear axle of the vehicle.
  • Continue wrapping all the ropes.
  • The rope needs to be tightly wound to hold the swing arm.
Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 16

Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 16

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Prepare for a test run. Place the vehicle on the ground while keeping the swing arm. Make sure to grip the end of the rope tightly. This will keep the swingarm in place, and when released, it will bounce forward and push the vehicle away.
  • Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 17

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    Image titled Build a Mousetrap Car Step 17

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    Release your hand to let the car run. Release your hands from the cart and the rope. The kinetic energy of the spring on the mousetrap will be transmitted through the rope to the rear axle of the car, causing the car to move forward several meters, depending on the structure of the car and the length of the rope. [11]

    • Advice

    • Remember to clear the road ahead. Obstacles can break delicate parts of the vehicle.
    • To help the car run smoothly on its own, you can place an object on the back or front of the vehicle. Some recyclables that you can use are water bottle caps, string, pieces of sticky clay or erasers.
    • If you don’t have a skewer, you can use a straw instead.
    • You can also use toy car axles and wheels instead of skewers and cardboard, but use super glue to secure the rope.

    Warning

    • Never use a rat trap to do this. If you accidentally release the swing arm at the wrong time, the force of the swing arm can break your finger.
    • Young children should only assemble cars with mouse traps with the help of adults.

    Things you need

    • Compa (to draw circles)
    • Pencil (for drawing circles)
    • Fabric Tape
    • Strong rope
    • Elastic band/rubber band
    • Buttons (4)
    • Thick cardboard or foam core
    • Mouse Trap
    • Pliers
    • Ruler
    • Thin skewers (2)
    • Multi-purpose knife

    A mousetrap car can make for a great science project, a physics class experiment or a fun weekend activity. These toy cars are often used to help students understand mechanical performance, distance and gravity. Many teachers even turn this experiment into a race car race. The potential energy stored in the spring of the swingarm in the mousetrap will be converted into kinetic energy and propel the car. To make such a car, you will need the right materials, some knowledge of the principles of physics and a little effort.

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