For our project we designed a car powered by a rat trap. Basically how it worked is a lever (made out of wood) is attached to the end of the rat trap's metal lever. At the end of this lever is a string that is also wrapped around the axel of the back wheels. After the rat trap is activated the lever slowly creates an arch, thus pulling the string around the axel and ultimately moving the car. The reason we added a second lever is this creates more mechanical advantage so the car can go farther. The reason we needed are car to go farther is because the object of our project was to get it to go 5 meters, which the rat trap car (with the proper mortifications of the lever) was able reach!
Potential Energy- the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors. Potential energy is calculated by multiplying mass times acceleration due to gravity by the height. We used Potential energy in our project by timing our car run and then making graphs
Kinetic Energy- Energy of motion, in a perfect work all potential energy is converted to kinetic but this does not happen due to friction and other factors. Kinetic energy is calculated by multiplying one half by mass by the velocity squared. We used kinetic energy the same way we used potential energy.
Thermal Energy- As potential energy and kinetic energy are both decreasing, thermal energy is increasing. This is due to friction which creates the heat. We used thermal energy in our project the same way we used kinetic and potential energy
Efficiency- Batteries in cars are not very efficient, we found that the most effective power comes from the springs, and not the batteries.
Our group worked quite well because we were able to ask our selves what the problem was and then brainstorm how to fix it, even when the project was proving itself to be difficult. I learned that I can work well under pressure! Our major pit falls were all the problems that kept happening, such as string breaking, and getting caught in the wells, the car's distance fluctuating with out a good reason, then ultimately the car not going far enough. These problems were met with a solution: such as braiding sting to make it stronger, adding zip ties to the side of the wheels to prevent the string from going to close to them and getting stuck, and a lever that could create enough mechanical advantage for it to go far enough.
Potential Energy- the energy possessed by a body by virtue of its position relative to others, stresses within itself, electric charge, and other factors. Potential energy is calculated by multiplying mass times acceleration due to gravity by the height. We used Potential energy in our project by timing our car run and then making graphs
Kinetic Energy- Energy of motion, in a perfect work all potential energy is converted to kinetic but this does not happen due to friction and other factors. Kinetic energy is calculated by multiplying one half by mass by the velocity squared. We used kinetic energy the same way we used potential energy.
Thermal Energy- As potential energy and kinetic energy are both decreasing, thermal energy is increasing. This is due to friction which creates the heat. We used thermal energy in our project the same way we used kinetic and potential energy
Efficiency- Batteries in cars are not very efficient, we found that the most effective power comes from the springs, and not the batteries.
Our group worked quite well because we were able to ask our selves what the problem was and then brainstorm how to fix it, even when the project was proving itself to be difficult. I learned that I can work well under pressure! Our major pit falls were all the problems that kept happening, such as string breaking, and getting caught in the wells, the car's distance fluctuating with out a good reason, then ultimately the car not going far enough. These problems were met with a solution: such as braiding sting to make it stronger, adding zip ties to the side of the wheels to prevent the string from going to close to them and getting stuck, and a lever that could create enough mechanical advantage for it to go far enough.