BHS Speedway Laboratory Class Grade
(55 Points possible)
Objective: To use the problem solving process to design and build a mousetrap car to compete in the BHS Speedway 2010. Class race and Championship Thursday, June 10.
Problem: What are you trying to do as you design and build a car to compete in the BHS Speedway 2010? What are the attributes of the car you are trying to build? Read over the instructions. (5 points)
Research: What do other mousetrap cars look like? Describe them. Make sketches. (9 points – Minimum of three researched designs)
Your design: Make a sketch of a car that you will build. (10 points)
Materials and Tools: What materials will you need to build your car? Will you need any special tools? You must bring in materials you will need to build the car on Monday. There will be a limited number of tools for the class to use. We have Monday and Tuesday to build in class. (5 points)
Build the car: (15 points)
Test the car: Does the car work as well as you expected? Describe any changes that you can make to improve the performance of the car? (6 points, 4 additional points for going at least 10 m)
Redesign of the car: If you were given another chance to build the car from scratch, how would you change the design of the car. Why? Make a sketch of the new design. (5 points)
TEAMS: A team can consist of 1 to 3 designers. Each person must submit their own lab report.
BHS Speedway 2010
Your mission is to build your own mousetrap-powered car, and battle against your rivals within your class and the entire school. Your car will be judged on its distance traveled, speed and ability to steer a straight path. The team with the fastest car that travels at least 20 meters in a straight line wins! It is that simple. The only restriction in the design is that the car must be powered, solely, by a standard mousetrap. The mousetrap may not be altered in any way except for drilling four holes for mounting purposes and must be identifiable by the speedway supervisor. The car at the starting line must be less than 30 cm front to back and 30 cm side to side. (This includes any extensions. No part of the device can be outside of this imaginary box at the start of the race.) The race will be conducted on the BHS speedway (otherwise known as the glass corridor). The finish line is 20 meters from the starting line. Time to reach this distance and distance from the centerline will factor into the scoring of the event.
Mousetraps will be provided by BHS Science Department.
Rules of Engagement
Teams are from one to three students.
Contestants will be allowed two runs. Best run counts. Second time will be used only for tiebreaks.
Contestants race against the clock.
Time starts when your hand is removed from the car. Time stops when the car crosses the finish line or stops moving.
Cars may be tested prior to the start of the competition.
Raceway is the glass hallway
Score = [(20m – distance traveled) x 5] + [(Time taken) x 2] + centimeter from CL
Top two finishers in each class will meet in the school wide finals during X Block on June 10.
What is in it for you?
The joy of competition.
School-wide bragging rites.
For each class, the first place winner will get 3 points on the final. Second place gets 2 points. Third place gets 1 point.
In the playoff, first place winner gets an additional 3 points. Second place gets 2 additional points. Third place gets 1 additional point.
Your Final grade can be no higher than 100%.
All school science safety rules apply to the building of the car and competition. No horsing around. Wear safety glasses. Keep your fingers away from the armed mousetrap.