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Please Help me. I'm 13 and need this for school. I can only do this with scrap material, like home things. No ready made kits. I also have to make it move without me pushing it or any form of electricity ( THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART I DONT KNOW HOW TO DO!) I NEED HELP fast! The Car can only be 1 feet long.

2006-08-16 09:52:59 · 12 answers · asked by lady jewels 2 in Home & Garden Do It Yourself (DIY)

12 answers

http://www.seps.org/cvoracle/faq/mousetrap.html
http://www.seps.org/oracle/oracle.archive/Man-made_Things.K-5/2001.12/001008385875.27311.html
http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/cancar.html
http://www.balloonhq.com/balloon_car/27.html

2006-08-16 09:57:31 · answer #1 · answered by DanE 7 · 0 0

I assume that there are other limitations besides:

1 foot long
not a kit
move forward 5 meters without pushing or any form of electricity

there are several time honored, non electric propulsion systems
1) animals -- for thousands of years, animal propulsion was the most common vehicle propulsion, this is probably not practical for your car, but a gerbil powered car would be a real hit down at the school (picture the rodent excersize wheel powering the the drive wheels with a simple belt arrangement), neat, but tricky, and requires a rodent that will play along
2) springs -- springs, including rubber bands, bent wood or metal bows, and twisted ropes have been used as energy storage devices for many an apparatus including vehicles. may toy cars use this technology, wind the wheel backwards to wind up the attached spring, let it go and away it goes
3) weights -- used in clock propulsion but rarely for vehicles, these systems employ a weight that "sinks" to deliver the energy. the simplest might be made my tying a string to your wheel axel, and then winding the string around the axel to lift the weight using a pulley on a tall staff. when the weight is released, it sinks, unwinding the string, turning the axel, and propelling the vehicle

there are a few more concepts that could be used (such as compressed gas expulsion from a balloon or CO2 cartridge, combusting rockets, steam engines, or some really bizzare and very slow temperature driven ratchets, but I wouldn't recommend them)

2006-08-16 10:13:49 · answer #2 · answered by enginerd 6 · 0 0

Try using wind! This was the first form of power for boats, after all. A lightweight car with a balloon attatched that you can blow up will be propelled forward as air is released from it.

Here's a rough diagram to help you understand what I mean:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v703/skittles5526/car.jpg

I did a similar project for school, just make sure you secure the balloon the the vehicle.

2006-08-16 10:08:23 · answer #3 · answered by RoyGBiv456 2 · 0 0

Mousetrap car. Use a mousetrap, tie a string to the end, and wrap the other end around the axle. When the mousetrap releases, it will pull the string, therefore spinning the axle. There are probably plans on the internet. It is a common design.

2006-08-16 09:57:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

I made a mouse trap car that went like 50 meters. It had huge records(vinyls) for wheels

2006-08-16 09:58:22 · answer #5 · answered by sbouasri 3 · 0 0

I would use wind as an energy source. Or you might want to look into using a spring loaded wheel system. You said you can't push it, but if you use something spring loaded, all you would need to do is pull a lever.

2006-08-16 09:57:46 · answer #6 · answered by largebones2004 2 · 0 0

Try magnets or maybe a sail of some sort. Research this and you'll find an answer. Don't panic and have fun with your discoveries! Good luck!

2006-08-16 10:07:57 · answer #7 · answered by Ben 3 · 0 0

Shoot it with rubber bands, or a piece of inner-tube. Or you could attach a wind up balsa wood model airplane to a light set of rear wheels and “blow” it along.

2006-08-16 10:01:59 · answer #8 · answered by Rockvillerich 5 · 0 0

Try using rubber bands as a motor for your vehicle.

When you twist and stretch rubber bands, they store energy. And when you let go, the rubber bands twist back and turn anything that is attached to them.

2006-08-16 10:02:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

a baloon (sp) for likw partys and tie it to the end of the car and blow it up and lett it go

2006-08-16 09:58:03 · answer #10 · answered by yung joc 3 · 0 0

a mouse trap car, look em up on the web

http://www.hypography.com/topics/mousetrapcar.cfm

2006-08-16 09:57:02 · answer #11 · answered by bricabrac 3 · 0 0

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