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!

Section / 5
Advanced Achievement / 4
Exceeds
Standard / 3
Meets
Standard / 2
Approaching
Standard / 1
Working Toward Standard / 0
No
Attempt / Score
Mousetrap Car Construction
Weight: 3 / Neat construction and assembly. Excellent attention to detail. Excellent use of materials and creativity in design. / Neat construction and assembly. Excellent attention to detail. Good use of materials. Demonstrates some creativity in design. / Good construction and assembly and good attention to detail. Appropriate use of materials. Demonstrates minimal creativity in design. / Car holds together, but looks like a last-minute project. / Poor construction and assembly. No attention to detail.
Mousetrap Car Displacement
Weight: 3 / Final displacement is greater than 15 meters. / Final displacement is between 11 and 14 meters. / Final displacement is between 5 and 10 meters. / Final displacement is between 1 and 3 meters. / Final displacement is less than 1 m, but car does actually move.
Mousetrap Car Graphical Analysis of Motion
Weight: 2 / Includes excellent graphical analysis of motion of mousetrap car. Evidence of several trials. More than one kind of graph is included. Includes high quality data tables and graphs. / Includes good graphical analysis of motion of mousetrap car. Evidence of several trials. More than one kind of graph included. Includes quality data tables and graphs. / Includes good graphical analysis of motion of mousetrap car. Evidence of several trials. Quality data table and graph included. / Includes minimal graphical analysis of motion of the mousetrap car. Trials limited. Includes average quality data table and graph. / Includes poor graphical analysis of motion of the mousetrap car. Very few or only one trial conducted. Poor quality data table and graph.
Mousetrap Car Conceptual Physics Analysis
Weight: 5 / Demonstrates excellent conceptual understanding of physics principles behind a mousetrap car. Utilizes experimental documentation to illustrate significant understanding of key principles. Effectively uses graphics to explain key ideas. / Demonstrates good conceptual understanding of physics principles behind a mousetrap car. Uses evidence from project to demonstrate understanding of key principles. Effectively uses graphics to explain key ideas. / Demonstrates good conceptual understanding of physics principles behind a mousetrap car, such as but not limited to: wheel-to-axle diameter ratio, lever arm length, material selection, overall mass, friction, Newton’s laws. Uses graphics to explain key ideas. / Demonstrates limited conceptual understanding of physics principles behind a mousetrap car. Shows an understanding of less than five key physics principles, such as but not limited to: wheel-to-axle diameter ratio, lever arm length, material selection, overall mass, friction, Newton’s laws. / Demonstrates limited conceptual understanding of physics principles behind a mousetrap car. Shows an understanding of less than three key physics principles, such as but not limited to: wheel-to-axle diameter ratio, lever arm length, material selection, overall mass, friction, Newton’s laws.
Mousetrap Car Conclusion
Weight: 3 / Excellent explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of mousetrap car design and performance. Excellent analysis of sources of error and suggestions for redesign. / Excellent explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of mousetrap car design and performance. Good analysis of sources of error and suggestions for redesign. / Good explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of mousetrap car design and performance. Good analysis of sources of error. Minimal suggestions for redesign. / Poor explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of mousetrap car design and performance. Poor analysis of sources of error. Minimal or no suggestions for redesign. / Poor explanation of the strengths and weaknesses of mousetrap car design and performance. No analysis of sources of error. No suggestions for redesign.
Quality of Mousetrap Car Report
Weight:; 1 / Report flows in a logical manner from start to finish, and finishes with a thoughtful conclusion. Well-organized and written with no spelling or grammar mistakes. Exceptional presentation of report. / Report flows in a logical manner from start to finish, and finishes with a thoughtful conclusion. Report is well organized and written, with few spelling or grammar mistakes. Professional presentation throughout. / Report flows in a logical manner from start to finish, and finishes with a thoughtful conclusion. Report is well organized and written, with few spelling or grammar mistakes. Professional presentation throughout. / Report flows awkwardly from start to finish. Several errors or grammar mistakes are present. Presentation is not professional throughout. / Report flows awkwardly from start to finish. Errors in spelling and/or grammar interfere with the flow of the report. Report is poorly organized and written. Presentation is not professional.

Mousetrap Car Rubric