How do you get a mousetrap car to go forward and then backward?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on designing a mousetrap car capable of traveling seven meters forward and then reversing the same distance using two mousetraps. The first mousetrap acts as a catapult to propel the car forward, while the second is triggered by a pin release mechanism when the car reaches the wall. A 7-meter string wraps around a bobbin connected to the wheels, facilitating the transition between forward and backward motion. The effectiveness of using a string to transfer energy from the mousetraps to the wheels is emphasized over a direct kickback method.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles related to motion and energy transfer
  • Familiarity with mechanical systems and simple machines
  • Knowledge of string mechanics and bobbin design
  • Experience with trial and error methods for optimizing designs
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mechanics of energy transfer in spring-loaded systems
  • Explore designs for effective bobbin mechanisms in mousetrap cars
  • Learn about the physics of projectile motion to optimize the catapult design
  • Investigate materials and construction techniques for building lightweight, efficient mousetrap cars
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for students working on physics projects, hobbyists interested in mechanical design, and educators seeking practical applications of physics concepts in engineering projects.

clphysics
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I have a physics project and my mousetrap car has to go forward seven meters and then back seven meters. I can only use two mousetraps.
 
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clphysics said:
I have a physics project and my mousetrap car has to go forward seven meters and then back seven meters. I can only use two mousetraps.
Use the mouse traps as catapults to shoot some mass horizontally, so the kick back accelerates the car. The second trap is opposed to the first, and fires when the car hits a wall 7 meters away.
 
Use a 7m long piece of string that wraps itself around a bobbin connected to the wheels. When the string is pulled all the way onto the bobbin it pulls out a pin to activate the second mouse trap. The bobbin size can be worked out through trial and error unless you want calculate the changing diameter matched to wheel size !
 
Speaking of strings. It might be more effective to use a string to translate the energy stored in the spring to the wheels, than the back kick approach.
 

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