Mouse-Trap Powered Vehicle

Intro to Project
The purpose of the lab was to build a vehicle, powered only by a mouse-trap, to go as far as possible. The spring pulled a string which was wrapped around the axle so as the string was pulled the wheels spun, propelling the car forwards.

Tech Concepts
In our 2nd project the biggest tech concept that we explored was was torque vs speed, trying to get the perfect ratio of length of the arm to the size of the wheel. We decided upon a small arm with large wheels to make the mouse-trap car go quickly but for a short time.

Learning Goals
The main learning goal in this project was trial and error, making us realize that technology has to be tested again and again for it to improve.

The Vehicle
For our MPV we decided to try to get our vehicle to go quickly and then glide for a long distance. we accomplished this by making it lightweight with only 2 wheels and a small body and by having a short arm attached to the spring of the vehicle. It worked very well before the testing, but during our tests the spring got caught on the axle so the car wasn't able to glide for nearly as far as it normally would have.

+ Feedback
I liked this project very much, even more than the first. It was much more open ended, which allowed us to be much more creative and try multiple ways before our final vehicle. And yet it was far from easy and challenged us to think of many solutions to the same problem.

Redesign
Overall we have next to nothing that we would change if we were to do the project again. The legos were easy to put together and made to axle spin much smoother than any of the other groups. The only thing that we would change would be the way that we spun the string around the axle, the method we used of making a loop like a yo-yo was simple to wind, but got caught during our tests, stopping the vehicle from gliding as we designed it to.

Tech Resources
Again, we used many tech resources such as

• Tools
• Machines
• People
• Energy
• Time Information

Biggest Challenge

Our biggest obstacle in this project was preventing the vehicle from curving. One of the wheels was slightly larger and so when it spun it pushed the car towards the opposite wall. It took a while for us to figure this out, but once we discovered it it was very easy to fix.

What Was Learned

Me and my partner learned teamwork, time management over a few weeks, and trial and error

Egg Drop Project

Intro to Project
The purpose was to build 2 devices to protect an egg whe droped from various heights. The first was from relatively short distances but had a limited amount of materials. Then in the second there were unlimited materials as long as it fit onto a piece of paper and had no parachute.

Tech Concepts
In this project, multiple technology concepts were explored, such as trying to minimize the impact as it relates to impulse. In the first we tried to make it very light and bouncy on the bottom, which worked except when it bounced onto its side. In the second we put a large crumple zone on the bottom, except it failed when it flipped midair and landed upsidedown

Learning Goals
The design process was the biggest learning goal introduced during this project. We started with 4 designs and narrowed them down to one, which we used and made changes to as needed.

Mini Drop
For our mini drop we focused on making the device very light so the parachute would slow it more efficiently, as well as making the bottom bouncy and flexible to reduce the impact on the egg. It worked excelent until when it bounced too much on one of the drops and landed wrong, cracking the egg.

Big drop

In our big drop we focused more on creating a large crumple zone and reducing the chance of it tipping over once it landed. We used a waterbottle for most of the body, added Popsicle sticks on the bottom and sides, and put the egg in a foam basket of sorts. It worked well and survived 1 story, but on the way from the 3rd floor to the 1st floor it tipped upside down and landed on a metal railing. So while we started with large expectations, we still ended losing.

+ Feedback
I think that this was an excelent first major project. Not only was it fun and excitng, it was also very educational. Also, it was different from egg drops that we have done in middle school and this made it more interesting and challenging. It was a great project, and I hope that the other projects will be half as good as this one.

Redesign
In the 1st drop, we decided that the only thing that we would have changed it to have made it so after its landing it wouldn't tip to its side as it did when it broke. In the 2nd, we decided that the only major change we would have done is to make the bottom more heavy so that's where it would have landed. Other than that the only thing we would have changed it to add more padding to the egg.

Tech Resources
In this project, we used resources such as

• Tools
• Machines
• People
• Energy(human)
• Time
• Information(internet)

Biggest challenge

Our biggest challenge in the first drop was how to make a good enough parachute using only the materials provided. In the big drop our greatest challenge was how to have it land on the bottom, which we eventually failed at. However, in hindsight we now know how to fix both of these problems.

What was learned

I learned about the design process, time management, using only certain materials to solve a problem, and being realistic.