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 make a rat trap car?

Build a Mousetrap Car

1. Step 1: Materials. 2 pieces of Cardboard (4” x 10”) many dimensions will work, but this is a good starting place.
2. Step 2: Car Body.
3. Step 3: Attach the Straws.
4. Step 4: The Mousetrap.
5. Step 5: Preparing the Wheels.
6. Step 6: Adding the Axles and Wheels.
7. Step 7: Attaching the Hook to the Rear Axle.

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.

How do you make a balloon car go the farthest?

How to Make a Balloon Car Go Faster

1. Reduce Weight. Examine your car carefully for any opportunity to shed as much weight as possible.
2. Minimize Drag. Drag, or air resistance, is important even at low speeds because the balloon car is so lightweight.
3. Cut the Friction.
4. Improve the Nozzle.

Is it better to have a lighter or heavier mousetrap car?

A heavy mousetrap vehicle will required more pulling force than a lighter mousetrap vehicle in order to achieve an equal acceleration. Lighter mousetrap vehicles will require less energy at the start and can use longer lever arms for more pulling distance.

What is needed to build a mouse trap car?

In order to build a mousetrap car you will need a few things. To start off simple, use these items: Mousetrap. Dowell rods and Wheels (anything really can be used here like knex wheels and rods, lego tires and rods, tinker toys are great too.)

How do you make a mouse trap car?

Put the large wheels on the back of the car, opposite the snapper arm. Wrap a small rubber band around the axle on either side of each wheel so the wheels can’t fall off. Tie a string very tightly to the snapper arm on the mouse trap. The string should be long enough to just reach to the back axle.

How do you make a mousetrap car go further?

Mousetrap cars will go farther if the spring has more distance from the back wheels. Create traction on the wheels. Add rubber bands, or tape around the wheels to give them better traction. The better the wheels can grip the floor, the farther the mousetrap car will go. Use a long rod to attach to the mousetrap spring.

How do you set up a mousetrap?

The best place to set a mouse trap is along a wall with the trap jaws facing the wall. The edge of the shed where the bottom of the wall meets the ground is a great place to set the trap. Mice will walk along this area before entering the shed.