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Mousetrap Racer Instructions

Mousetraps are useful for more than pest control. The powerful spring in a mousetrap is designed to kill rodents. But it can also be used as a power source for a small race car. Designing a mousetrap racer can teach children about inertia and kinetic energy while giving them a fun craft to take up time on a rainy day. Mousetrap race cars are also a popular take home assignment in many schools.

Things You'll Need

4 popsicle sticks
3-by-19 inch piece of 1/4-inch foam board
Hot glue gun
2 6-inch long gas welding rods
2 empty pen barrels
Knife
Pliers
4 1-by-1 inch pieces of 1/4-inch foam board
4 blank CDs or DVDs
1 18-inch long gas welding rod
Mouse trap
8-inch length of string or twine

Instructions

- 1
  Glue two popsicle sticks to the underside of the front of the foam board. Glue two popsicle sticks to the underside of the rear of the foam board. Make sure sticks are parallel to each other. Allow glue to dry completely.
- 2
  Slide one 6-inch welding rod into one of the empty pen barrels. Bend the ends of the rod that stick out of the barrel at a 90-degree angle using the pliers. Glue this axle to the popsicle sticks extending from the front end of the foam board. Make sure it is parallel with the foam board. Allow glue to dry completely.
- 3
  Cut the other pen barrel in half. Slide both halves onto the other 6-inch rod. Leave a 1 1/2 gap between the two pieces on the rod. Bend the ends of the rod to 90-degree angles using the pliers. Glue the entire piece to the popsicle sticks extending from the rear of the foam board by putting a dab of glue on each half of the pen barrel and pressing them onto the sticks. Make sure to maintain the gap between the barrel pieces. This is the rear axle, and it will drive the car, so make sure it is parallel with the foam board. Allow the glue to dry completely.
- 4
  Glue the 1-inch pieces of foam board to the center of each CD or DVD. Mount each disc to one side of each axle by piercing the foam board and guiding the bent wire through the hole in the disc.
- 5
  Glue the 18-inch rod to the left edge of the metal piece on the trap. This is the part of the trap that snaps shut, so it is best to glue it while in the closed position so it will not snap closed during gluing. Allow the glue to dry completely.
- 6
  Glue the mouse trap to the foam board so that the extension rod will be pointing toward the rear axle when it is cocked back. Tie one end of the string to the gap between the pen barrels on the rear axle. Tie the other to the end of the extension rod.
- 7
  Pull the race car backwards. As the rear axle turns the string will wind around it and pull back the extension rod, thereby cocking the spring trap. Once the trap is armed, press the switch to release the spring. The extension rod will pull the string on the rear axle, turning it and providing enough power to propel it forward.

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