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January 30, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR BARBARA
KONTOGIANNIS IN CO
There are multiple solutions to the mousetrap car problem.
I found that
a long, low car with small wheels worked well (nearly 20 years
ago!). The
length provided stability, and enabled me to lengthen the
lever arm of the
mechanism to get a long-duration pull to power the car. Large
wheels can
work too - But don't just take my word for it, you may want
to experiment
with different sizes to see what the effects are. Take a good
look at a
bicycle gear train: compare how much distance you get out
of a pedal stroke
if you're on the big chain ring in front and a small one in
back vs. a small
ring in front and large in back. This will help you with the
concept.
To keep the car moving straight, make sure the front and back
wheels are
aligned well in the body, and use wheels that are on a fixed
axle. To find
wheels, I shopped around for a cheap toy car, broke it and
used the wheels,
axle and all. If the wheels you choose don't have good traction,
a wide
rubber-band and some glue can solve that problem! Get creative
and have
some fun with it. If you have time to experiment with different
shapes and
sizes, that's a good way to learn.
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