Mousetrap car material suggestions

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on optimizing a mousetrap car for a physics assessment, specifically aiming to lift a 10g film barrister one meter as slowly as possible. The materials available include a standard mousetrap, a 1.5L PET bottle, bamboo, string, and adhesives. Suggestions include extending the mousetrap's swing with bamboo and utilizing the varying diameters of the PET bottle to create a gearing effect that reduces speed. The user seeks effective methods to slow down the motion of the mousetrap while adhering to the constraints of the provided materials.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles related to motion and force.
  • Familiarity with the mechanics of a mousetrap and its spring action.
  • Knowledge of material properties, particularly the malleability of bamboo.
  • Experience with simple mechanical systems and gearing concepts.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research techniques for creating a gear system using varying diameters, specifically with PET bottles.
  • Explore methods to extend the swing of a mousetrap using bamboo effectively.
  • Investigate the use of springs in mechanical systems to counteract forces.
  • Learn about the principles of energy transfer in simple machines.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for students engaged in physics projects, educators teaching mechanics, and hobbyists interested in building and optimizing mousetrap cars.

Hyperreality
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I am currently doing a physics assessment. The aim of the assessment is to lift a 10g film barrister one meter high as slow as possible. The equipments provided are:

2m of string
A standard mousetrap
1.5L PET Bottle + Lids
Up to 3m of Bamboos
Paper Clips (Use for adhesive, not for construction)
Any types of glues.(Used for adhesive, not for construction)
A cardboard.

So far I got everything figured out and ready to go, but I cannot find any ways to slow down the motion of the mousetrap. I was thinking of using the maleiability of the bamboos to slow down the motion of the mousetrap, but I doubt that would work. I also thought of making a spring by using the cardboard to counter the spring force of the mousetrap, but that didn't have much effect.

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated

The mousetrap I'm using is the 13th image on this website:

http://ww.udel.edu/~mcdonald/mousetrap.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Hi Hyperreality,
can you make the bamboo grow?
 
Unfortunately no, the 3m bamboos are provided by my teacher.
 
Could you use one of the bamboos to extend the mousetraps swing, then the differentiated sizing of the 1.5 L bottles neck, and body, to effectively "Gear" the speed, and thereby decerease its overall speed??
 

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