In our science class we were assigned a mousetrap car project that we built and worked on for many months(November-April). During time period we built a car which broke, so we built another car. Through this process our main focus was to make a car go as fast as possible, have a zero deviation, and have it travel a long distance.
During this project we learned about Newton's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd laws and how they apply to the car and to everyday life.
During this project we learned about Newton's 1st, 2nd, and 3rd laws and how they apply to the car and to everyday life.
Newton's First Law: Every object continues in a state of rest, or in a state of motion in a straight line at a constant speed, unless acted on by a nonzero net force.
When the car is unmoving (as shown) then the car will not move until an outside force acts upon it. This law also applies to moving objects. For example, if the car was moving along a flat surface and friction was non-existent then the car would continue moving at the same speed unless an outside force stopped it.
When the car is unmoving (as shown) then the car will not move until an outside force acts upon it. This law also applies to moving objects. For example, if the car was moving along a flat surface and friction was non-existent then the car would continue moving at the same speed unless an outside force stopped it.
Newton's Second Law: The acceleration produced by a net force on an object is directly proportional to the net force, is in the same direction as the net force, and is inversely proportional to the mass of the object.
The car moved forward because the tires were pushing against the floor and the floor pushed back on the tire making it move forward. When testing the mousetrap car we learned how the friction between the floor and the car's wheels caused the car to accelerate forward.
The car moved forward because the tires were pushing against the floor and the floor pushed back on the tire making it move forward. When testing the mousetrap car we learned how the friction between the floor and the car's wheels caused the car to accelerate forward.
Newton's Third Law: To every action there is always an opposed equal reaction.
As the car was moving and hit a wall, the car would exert a force onto the wall and the wall would exert the same amount of force back to the car. Both the car and wall experienced the same force but since the wall has a greater mass it did not move and because the car has a smaller mass it bounced back from the force exerted onto it.
Although the wall has a greater mass, it does not exert a greater force when it comes in contact with the car.
As the car was moving and hit a wall, the car would exert a force onto the wall and the wall would exert the same amount of force back to the car. Both the car and wall experienced the same force but since the wall has a greater mass it did not move and because the car has a smaller mass it bounced back from the force exerted onto it.
Although the wall has a greater mass, it does not exert a greater force when it comes in contact with the car.