How Mouse Trap Cars Work

Mouse trap cars are easy contraptions that could be built using commonplace household items. With a person's comprehension of the basal laws of Physics or even just and idea of how the soldiery of nature act on daily items, one can form his or her very own mousetrap car.

It's a easy car with a mouse trap as its customary source of propulsion. The possible power stored within the spring of the snapper is converted into kinetic power which will cause a chain reaction along the parts of the device. This chain reaction will supervene in multiple changes and transformations of energies from it's possible state. In the end, these transformations of power and the chain reactions taking place among the parts of the car will cause the car to displace itself from its starting point. What is impressive about this car is that it's a purely mechanical device that moves without the use combustible fuel or electricity.

Now, you might be thinking how this machine works exactly and what soldiery and energies take part in the car's activities.

First of all, the contraption must be made up of four wheels, two axles, either a solid base or a ladder type base, a string and of course, a mouse trap. These parts could be made up of varied materials. There is no proper material or make for any of the parts mentioned but it would be more productive to use light weight components.

Now, these materials must be assembled to look like a car. The mousetrap sits on the base, while on the two far ends of the base, you add the axles. The common convention for putting the axle is by drilling two parallel holes on both ends of the base. When the axles are in place, attach the wheels on each end of the axles. Then you can tie one end of the string on the mouse trap's lever arm while the other end is coiled colse to the rear axle. By releasing the snapper, it will pull the string which will in turn, rotate the axle that will spin the wheels resulting in the movement of the car.

That's basically how the car is made and how the mouse trap is designed to move the car.

When the stored power in the spring of the mousetrap was released, it moved the lever arm, transforming the possible power into kinetic energy. Since the string was tied to the mouse trap's snapper, the snapper applied a pulling force on it (string). This pulling force will cause the axle to turn and by turning the axle, the wheels, which were attached to the axle would rotate. If the wheels have sufficient traction, and less rotational inertia, the wheels will voyage or move towards the opposite direction of the rotational force. Since the wheel is attached to the axle, the axle move towards the same direction as the wheel and since the axle is attached to the base of the car, the axle, will apply a pushing force to the base of the mousetrap car causing the whole car to displace.

It's amusing to find that such a easy tool is influenced by these many soldiery that makes the whole process seem so complicated. Possibly that is the guess why a lot of population have come to be enthusiastic about the car and have been hobbyists of mouse trap cars.

There are countless possibilities in terms of improvements and enhancements in the field of mousetrap car making. You could form a mouse trap car that is built for speed or a mousetrap car that is designed to displace to a large distance. With easy additions and modifications to the parts or to the material of the car, there is a possibility that its performance may either enhance or worsen.

Mousetrap cars are truly magnificent easy machines. It will stimulate your mind as well as challenge your skills and knowledge of the natural sciences. This is a hobby that would be great not only for Physics students but for kids of all ages who wants to build, eye and learn.