Unit 4: Spring into Motion: The Mousetrap Racer Challenge

1. Energy Transformation: How Potential Energy in a pulley converts to Kinetic Energy.

2. Torque vs. Speed: How the length of the lever arm and wheel diameter determine the car's output.

3. Friction Management: The difference between static, rolling, and fluid friction.

4. Simple Machines: Identifying the mousetrap as a lever and the wheels as a wheel-and-axle system.

5. Rotational Motion: How axle revolutions translate to linear distance.

1. Design: Prototype a chassis that minimizes weight while maintaining structural integrity.

2. Fabricate: Build a drive system using a mousetrap, lever arm, string, and axles.

3. Troubleshoot: Align axles and apply "traction hacks" (like rubber bands) to drive wheels.

4. Calculate: Determine the velocity and acceleration of their vehicle.

5. Graph: Plot distance vs. time to analyze the "acceleration curve" and the point of deceleration.

Students compete in two categories: Long Distance and Drag Race (Speed). The final assessment is a technical report where students use their trial data to explain how they optimized their "Torque-to-Speed" ratio and how they reduced friction at specific "fail points."