Satchel chose to demonstrate how to build a mousetrap car. Mousetrap cars were invented in 1897 to teach students physics concepts. A mousetrap car uses a mousetrap's spring-loaded arm attached to a string that winds around the axle, powering the wheels when released. Satchel explains the 25 step process to build a basic racer, including materials, measuring, drilling, assembly, and attaching the mousetrap and string. Big wheel racers can travel farther but are harder to build and tune. Mousetrap cars are inexpensive, the spring provides speed, and large rubber-banded wheels can make them faster.

1. How do you build a mousetrap
car ???
By Satchel
First Semester Exhibition
Demonstration

2. Agenda
• Why I chose this topic
• History
• Important information
• Step by step
• Compare 2 racers
• Fun facts
• Questions & Comments

3. WHY ?????
I chose this topic from a list of ideas that Mrs. Tiggs had because it seemed
interesting.

4. History
The mousetrap car was invented to allow
students to see and understand how the
concepts of physics are applied.
The first mousetrap car was invented by British
inventor James Henry Atkinson in 1897. He
was an engineer born in England (1849-1942)
His most famous invention was the mousetrap-
he called it the “Little Nipper”

5. Little Nipper
http://inventors.about.com/od/mstartinventions/a/mousetrap.htm

6. Important Information
• A mousetrap powered car uses a mousetrap
for a motor and a string to transmit force.
• One end of a string is attached to an arm on
the mousetrap and the other end is wound
around an axle.
• If you wind the string around the axle, the
mousetrap spring is stretched and you have
stored energy

7. More Information
• As the mousetrap car is released, the
mousetrap pulls the string off the axle causing
the wheels to turn….. & OFF THE VEHICLE
GOES!!!!!!!!

8. Step-by-Step
• The Basic Racer had 25 steps!!!!!
• See my pictures

9. Materials

10. Measuring

11. Drilling

12. Building

13. Axles & Wheels

14. Balancing Tires

15. Attaching Mousetrap to Deck Top

16. Attaching String

17. Basic Racer Completed

18. Doc Fizzix

19. Basic Racer I

20. Basic racer #1 facts
• Great all-around racer
• It can go fast
• Can travel long distances
• It can carry weight
• Easy to build
• More stable
• Easier to operate

21. Big Wheel Racer

22. Big wheel facts
• Travels a greater distance for each rotation of
the wheel compared to a basic racer.
• Its hard to build and it needs a lot of fine-
tuning to maximize its distance

23. Fun Facts
• You can build a fast mousetrap car by using large
wheels made from old cd’s that have rubber
bands around them for better traction
• The mouse trap car cost $10.00 to make
• The spring on the mouse trap gives the car its
speed
+

24. Resources
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBPipeb8
t3Q
• http://www.ehow.com/how_6506021_instruc
tions-kids-build-mousetrap-car.html
• http://www.scienceguy.org/Articles/Mousetra
pCarConstructionArticlePlan.aspx
• http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mousetrap_ca
r

25. Resources
• Doc Fizzix Mousetrap Racers: The Complete
Builder’s by Alden Balmer

26. Questions & Comments