How can we improve the performance of our mousetrap racecar?

[Cheesycheese213]

Homework Statement

For school, we have to build a mousetrap car, and get it to go 3m. Our car doesn't roll very well, and we aren't quite sure of the problem. We have an axle that is 5mm wide, and the thing that holds it to the chassis is made of cardboard. Also, the mousetrap is pretty far back on the car, and the string is attached to one end of the axle.
So, it isn't able to get to 3m, only about 1.75.

Homework Equations

We haven't been able to use any yet, because the car doesn't work

The Attempt at a Solution

We thought it might have been friction, because the hole for the axle isn't very smooth, but there was also a problem with the dowel. While the mousetrap snaps shut, the string is being pulled by the dowel attached to the mousetrap. But, when the dowel is at the highest point when it is closing, it stops pulling the string, and it becomes loose. Or, it doesn't pull at all.

 

[gneill]

Please don't multi-post. You already have a thread open on this project in General Physics. Direct your questions and progress to that thread.

This thread will be closed.