Doc Fizzix’s
Mousetrap Powered Vehicle
Laboratory Manual
Prepared For:
ME 101/L
Dr. Nhut T Ho
Prepared By:
Carina Howell
Hanssolo De La Cruz
Experiments
Experiment Doc Fizzik’s Reference Page
Experiment #1: Chasing The Mouse Page 5
Experiment #2: The Force Is Against You Page 26
Experiment #3: The Spinning Wheels Page 38
Experiment #4: As The Wheels Turn Page 66
Experiment #5: All Wound Up Page 76
Experiment #6: The Force Against You, Part II Page 88
Experiment #7: How Far Can I Go Page 98
Experiment #8: Conserving Energy Page 104
*Laboratory Manual Notes*
Before beginning the experiments, please review the following Notes as they pertain to this laboratory manual.
1. Pay attention to measurement units!!
The “Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” embedded equations corresponding to this lab manual are dependent on units of measure shown in the spreadsheet. Failure to use these units will result in inaccurate data/values for the experiment. A list of useful conversion factors is shown on the following page. Bring these conversions with you to class.
2. Notice the differences between Lab’s!!
The steps outlined in this Laboratory Manual do not necessary
correspond to those in the Doc Fizzik’s book. Make sure to
follow the steps in this manual, and use the book as a
reference.
3. Enter data in the yellow cells only!!
The “Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” has been security protected. The only cells that you may enter data into are those highlighted in yellow. All other cells are protected and used to make the calculations shown in the Doc Fizzix’s book.
4. One Data Sheet Per Experiment!!
The “Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” has one tab per laboratory experiment. Take the recorded data from each lab and enter it into the cells on the spreadsheet for the results.
5. Don’t Forget The Data Summary!!
The first tab called “Data Summary” on the “Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” is a summary of all results from each Lab. Once all experiments are complete, the spreadsheet will be automatically populated with the results.
Good Luck & Have Fun!!
Conversion Factors
Inches Meters 1 inch = 0.0254 meters
Centimeters Meters 1 centimeter = 0.01 meters
Feet Meters 1 foot = 0.3048 meters
Millimeters Meters 1 millimeter = .001 meters
Inches Millimeters 1 inch = 25.4 millimeters
Degrees Radians 1 degree = 0.01745 radian
Pound (force) Newtons 1 pound-force = 4.44 newton
Grams Kilograms 1 gram = 0.001 kilogram
Pounds Grams 1 lb = 453.6 grams
Pounds Kilograms 1 lb = 0.454 kilogram
Experiment #1:
Chasing The Mouse
Purpose:
To Find the Speed and Acceleration of your Mousetrap Vehicle.
Materials:
Meterstick
Stopwatch
Tape / Ticker Tape
Ticker Timer
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #1 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the Spreadsheet.
b. Operate the Ticker Timer
c. Set-Up the Ticker Timer with Tape
d. Measure distances between ticker marks.
e. Set up and Release Vehicle.
Procedure:
Step #1: Obtain the Ticker Timer, and attach Ticker Timer Tape to the Vehicle. Measure 5 meters on the floor, marking each meter with a piece of tape. Place your vehicle at the starting line.
Step #2: Release the vehicle. Remove the ticker tape and line up to cut tape at 5 meters.
Step #3:Measure the distance between each mark (in meters) and record on the spreadsheet as “Change in Distance in meters”. Marks are made once per second. The Spreadsheet will calculate the rest!
Experiment #2:
The Force is Against You
Purpose:
To determine the amount of rolling friction acting against your mousetrap car, and the coefficient of friction.
Materials:
Ruler or Caliper
Smooth Wood Ramp
Tape Measure
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #2 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the Spreadsheet.
b. Raise the height of the wood ramp.
c. Hold & Communicate the Data from the Measuring tape.
d. Set and retrieve the vehicle from the ramp.
e. Double-Check and verify the measurements.
Procedure:
Step #1: Obtain the Wood Ramp and measure the length of the board, in units of meters. Record this measurement on your spreadsheet in all cells marked “Board Length L (m)”
Step #2: Place your vehicle on the ramp and begin lifting one end. Slowly lift until the vehicle “JUST” begins to roll.
Step #3: Measure the height of the board(for the height when the vehicle just begins to move) in meters from the ground with the measuring tape. Measure from ground to the bottom of board.
Step #4:Repeat this process for 5 trials and record each height in the corresponding cells of the lab spreadsheet labeled “Raised Height h (m)”.
Step #5: The Lab spreadsheet will calculate the angle of lift, and the coefficient of friction from this data, taking an average for the result from each trial.
Note: Step #7 in the Doc Fizzix’s book will not be completed in this lab.
Index:
Experiment #3
Spinning The Wheels
Purpose:
To determine the amount of traction your drive wheels have on the floor.
Materials:
Spring Scale
String
Tape to Lock Wheels
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #3 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the spreadsheet.
b. Tape Wheels.
c. Attach Spring Scale to Vehicle.
d. Pull the Vehicle and Operate the Spring Scale.
Step #1: Pull on the car with the force probe attached to the car. The amount of force needed to drag the car is your traction (rƒ).
Do for 5 trials, recording the force, in Newtons, on the probe as “Pulling/Traction Force (N)”. **Be careful to make sure the force probe is in Newtons. If not, use a conversion calculation.
Step 2: Attach the force probe to the axle. You want to find the force of the wheels pressing down on the floor (), so lift the force probe until the wheels are just above the floor. Do for 5 trials, recording the force, in Newtons, on the probe as “Drive Wheels Force (N)”. **Be careful to make sure the force probe is in Newtons. If not, use a conversion calculation.
Step #3: The spreadsheet will calculate the coefficient of friction from this data.
Experiment #4
As The Wheels Turn
Purpose:
To find the rotational inertia of your wheels.
Materials:
Small hanging mass
Stopwatch
String
Measuring Tape
Gram Scale
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #4 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the spreadsheet.
b. Use the stop watch to record times.
c. Weigh items on the gram scale.
d. Measure fall distances.
e. Set-up and hold down vehicle on work bench.
f. Double-Check and verify the measurements.
Procedure:
Step #1: Obtain the scale and weigh the small hanging mass in units of grams.Record this mass as “Hanging Mass (g)” on the spreadsheet.
Step #2:Obtain your vehicle. Either remove the rear axle and lay the vehicle on the end of a table so that the front axle hangs off the side. OR, Leave the rear axle attached, and place a box underneath vehicle so that the front axle is suspended and cleared as it would be off the table.
Step #3:Attach the hanging mass to one end of a string that is long enough to reach from the front axle to the floor. Attach the other end of the string to the Front axle.
Step #4: Measure the distance from the axle to the end of the string where the mass is attached in meters. This is your fall distance. Record the fall distance on the spreadsheet as “Fall distance of mass (m)” in each of the trial cells.
Step #5:Wind the string with hanging mass up around the axle.
Step #6:With a caliper, measure the diameter in meters of the axle. Divide this number by 2, to obtain the radius. Input the front axle radius into the spreadsheet under the cell called “Radius of Front axle (m)”.
Step #7: Release the wound-up hanging mass and allow it to fall. Using the stopwatch, time the hanging mass from start to finish in seconds. Record this time under “Time of Fall (seconds)” on the spreadsheet.
Step #8: Repeat Step #7for three timed trials. The spreadsheet will automatically calculate the rotational inertia of the front axle.
Step #9: Repeat steps #8 through #11 for the rear axle system.
Step #10: Input all values into the excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet will then automatically calculate the total inertia of the system.
Experiment #5
All Wound Up
Purpose: To calculate the starting potential energy and to find the spring coefficient.
Materials:
Spring Scale/Force Probe
String
Protractor
Ruler/Tape Measure
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #5 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the spreadsheet.
b. Measure The Lever Arm
c. Set-Up String and Spring Scale
d. Hold and Read Protractor
e. Hold and Read Spring Scale
f. Double-Check and verify the measurements.
Procedure:
Step #1:Attach a string to the force probe/spring scale. Latch onto the mousetrap vehicle lever arm. Measure the length of the mousetrap lever arm (from the spring to the string), and record on the spreadsheet in meters.
Step #2: Hold the protractor up to the mousetrap vehicle, as shown in the Doc Fizzix’s book. You will need one person to hold the mouse trap down, one to hold the protractor, one to hold the force probe, and one to record the numbers on the spreadsheet.
Step #3: Pull the probe to every 10 degrees and record the force at these angles. Do for five different angles. Record the angle on the spreadsheet, and the corresponding Force, in Newtons, from the spring scale.
Note: Make sure to keep the probe perpendicular to the mousetrap arm for accurate force readings.
Step #4: The spreadsheet will take this data and calculate the total potential energy of your vehicle
Experiment #6
The Force Against You, Part II
Purpose:
To determine the force of friction against your vehicle.
Materials:
Measuring Tape
Gram Scale
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #6 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the spreadsheet.
b. Weight Vehicle on gram scale
c. Release Vehicle, and perform trials.
d. Measure travel Distance.
Procedure:
Step #1: Weight the vehicle on the gram scale, and record the measurement on the spreadsheet (in grams).
Step #2:Next, set-up and release the vehicle. Measure the total travel distance with the measuring tape (in meters).
Step #3: Repeat experiment #2 for 5 trials.
Step #4: Find the Value from Lab #5, Cell D19. Record it as “Starting Energy” on the spreadsheet.
Experiment #7
How Far Can I Go?
Purpose:
To determine the pulling distance, the power output, and the mechanical advantage.
Materials:
Ruler or Caliper
Stopwatch
String
Measuring Tape
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #7 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the spreadsheet.
b. Measure Drive Axle & Drive Wheel Data
c. Set-Up Axle and String, and measure String data.
d. Release Vehicle, and perform trials.
e. Measure travel Distance.
f. Double-Check and verify the measurements.
Procedure:
Step #1: Using the calipers, measure the drive axle diameter in meters.
Step #2:Then, wind the string around the axle as you would for normal operation. Now measure the drive axle with the string wound around it in meters.
Step #3: Using the axle diameter measurements, perform the following calculation* to get the average axle diameter, and record it on the spreadsheet as “Drive Axle Diameter”.
*Eq: (Axle Diam. w/out string + Axle Diam. with string) / 2
Step #4: Take the average diameter from Step#3, and divide it by 2 to get the axle radius. Record on the spreadsheet as “Drive Axle Radius”.
Step #5: Using a caliper or ruler, measure the diameter and radius of the drive wheel(s) and record the diameter and radius in meters on the spreadsheet as “Drive Wheel Diameter” and “Drive Wheel Radius”.
Step #6:Now measure the length of string in metersthat is normally pulled from the drive axle.
Step #7: Set-Up and release the vehicle. With a stopwatch, measure the time is takes for the vehicle to stop in seconds and record it on the spreadsheet as “Time Over Pulling Distance (seconds)”.
Step #8: Measure the total distance the vehicle travels and record it on the spreadsheet as “Total Travel Distance (m)”.
Step #9: Repeat steps #7 and #8 for five trials.
Step #10: Retrieve the Starting Energy value from Lab #5, Cell D19, and enter it into the spreadsheet as shown.
Step #11: Once all trials are complete, the spreadsheet will calculate the average power output.
Experiment #8
Conserving Energy
Purpose:
To calculate the efficiency of your mousetrap car.
Materials:
Ruler or Measuring Tape
Stopwatch
Caliper
“Mousetrap Vehicle Data Sheet.xls” Spreadsheet
“Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats” book
Laboratory Preparation Steps:
1. Review the Doc Fizzix’s Mousetrap Powered Cars & Boats book for
Lab #8 to become familiar with the experimental theory.
2. Obtain the Laboratory Materials listed above.
3. Assign a person from your group for each of the following tasks:
a. Record Data on the spreadsheet.
b. Measure Vehicle Mass and Wheel Radii.
c. Measure Pulling Distance
d. Release Vehicle, and perform trials.
e. Time the trials.
f. Double-Check and verify the measurements.
Procedure:
Step #1: Using the scale, weigh the vehicle for its mass in gramsand record on the spreadsheet as the “Vehicle Mass (g)”.
Step #2: Obtain the “Starting Energy” value from Lab #5, Cell D19, and record it on the spreadsheet as shown.
Step #3:Put the vehicle on the starting line and Walk along side the vehicle to measure the pulling distance. Mark the end of the pulling distance on the ground. Record the pulling distance in meterson the spreadsheet under each cell of the column.
Step #4: Put the vehicle on the starting line again, and release it. With the stopwatch, time the vehicle in seconds, but ONLY over the pulling distance from step 3. Record on the spreadsheet as “Time (s)” for each trial.
Step #5: Repeat Step #4 for a total of 5 trials.
Step #6:Obtain the following data from previous labs and record them as shown on the spreadsheet.Note: if you have not yet measured the wheel radii, then do so with a caliper or ruler and record on the spreadsheet as shown in meters.
Front Axle Rotational Inertia(from Lab 4, Cell F23)
Front Axle Wheel Radius
Rear Axle Rotational Inertia
(from Lab 4, F32)
Rear Axle Wheel Radius
Step #7: The spreadsheet will automatically calculate the rotational inertia results.
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