Boy Scout Project: Build a Car 20m with Mousetraps & Beans

[robin14559]

Here is the task... Boy Scout project (Not Homework)
- Build a car that can travel 20m in straight line
- Design Constraints:
- Carry (2) standard mousetraps and (2) 8 oz cans of pork and beans
- Use 3 of the above 4 items as energy sources, with 1 as pure payload
- Complete freedom over what car is made out of except nothing sharp and no chemicals.
- No push starts. Car must move from start under its own power.

Extra Prize for fastest car to cover the 20m distance

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Great, show us your plan :)

 

[robin14559]

Great, show us your plan :)

Absolutely will as it progresses. Looking for varied ideas for the scouts that haven't any ideas. Trying to help them understand the principles behind the project rather than leaving them on an island. :-)

Any ideas and project plans are appreciated. Love seeing the different ways people come at a project.

 

[berkeman]

Any ideas and project plans are appreciated. Love seeing the different ways people come at a project.

Welcome to the PF.

I haven't looked yet, but there must be some websites with 100s of suggestions for these kinds of instructional projects. Have you tried searching on it yet? Have you found any good websites that you can share with us?

I know there are websites with lots of ideas for Science Fair projects, but that's not exactly what you are looking for. I often point people to the Intel STEM project competition website (although I believe Intel no longer sponsors those competitions)...

http://www.intel.com/content/www/us...ternational-science-and-engineering-fair.html