|
What Data can be Measured, Calculated, or Graphed from Mousetrap
powered vehicles?
Mousetrap Cars and Projects are excellent classroom activities
for any grade level. If you are planing on working with mouse trap cars in your classroom then you will want an
idea about the different activities that can be performed with a mouse trap car. The following growing list gives
you a small idea about the different activities that can be taught with a mouse trap car. If you would would like
all the equations and/or the activities to accompany this list please order the Mousetrap Teacher's Guide
on the order page.
Calculations from mousetrap cars
* Total Rolling Friction
* Coefficient of Rolling Friction
* Total Potential Energy
* Maximum Total Kinetic Energy
* Work Done Moving Car
* Gear Ratios
* Mouse Trap Spring Constant
* Rotational Inertia of Wheels
* Pulling Distance and Gear Ratio
* Max Acceleration before Tire Slippage
* Predicted Total Travel Distance
* Efficiency with Distance Cars
* Efficiency with Speed Cars
* Center of Mass
* Normal force on Wheels
* Min String Tension Needed to Move
* Calculate Tire Grip on Floor
Graphing Ideas for mousetrap powered cars
* distance vs. time
* velocity vs. time
* acceleration vs. time
* pulling force vs. degrees of spring angle
* potential energy vs. time
* kinetic energy vs. time
* work vs. time
* string tension vs. traveled distance
* lever arm length vs. time
* lever arm length vs. pulling distance
Mousetrap Cars and Projects Data Collection Ideas
In my classroom, I use a lot of computer probes with my
students to collect data from the different mousetrap racers made by the students. I like the PASCO computer probe
systems that hooks-up to my Mac. When I conduct mouse trap car speed contest I use two PASCO Laser Switches (ME-9259A)
with two lasers for accurate timings. The Laser Switches are connected to a computer interface (Science Workshop
700 Interface). I also use the PASCO Force Sensor (CI-6537) hooked up to the 700 Interface for measuring the strength
of the spring and the rolling friction. The PASCO 700 Interface comes with all the software needed to time, test,
or conduct any possible experiment you can think of with you mouse trap car.
I have compiled a list of the different calculation that I do in the classroom with mouse trap car projects. This
list is designed to give teachers some ideas about the large number of topics that can be covered by working with
mouse trap powered vehicles and projects in the classroom. I can teach my the first semester with mouse trap cars
alone. Formulas and derivations for all the listed calculation ideas are presented in Mouse Trap Cars: A teachers Guide.
Ticker-Timer or Ticker Tap Activity
 
One of my favorite activities. Here,two students evaluate
a ticker-tape after it was attached to their mouse trap car. The ticker timer will leave a series of marks on a
tape that will help the students graph the motion of their mouse trap car. In my classroom, students will graph
distance vs. time, speed vs. time, and acceleration vs. time all from the marks on their ticker tape. This is an
extremely valuable way of analyzing and comparing data among classmates.
Torsion Wheel
A quick explanation of how it works
The disc has markings every 5 degrees. A string is attached to the bottom of the disc. The string is looped over
the top of the disc running in a groove that was cut to hold the string in place. The looped end of the string
is pulled down with a force probe or a spring scale. As the string is pulled with the spring scale the disc rotates.
At every mark of the disc the student will record the pulling force. Because the force is always directed in the
same direction the scale always stays "TRUE" and does not need to be zeroed at different positions. The
sum of the total distance times the average force is equal to the starting energy.
 
Order
the torsion wheel and get this activity
|
