Level: High School/Grades 9 – 12 

 

Teams: 3 students per team.  25 teams maximum.

 

Overview: Students build ONE vehicle, powered by a single, standard 

sized mousetrap, in an attempt to establish which car will travel the longest distance.  

 

Time: Teams will have 1 hour and 40 minutes to complete their build, during which time they can conduct as many trial runs as they would like.  Following the build time, teams will be given 3 final runs to establish their maximum distance.  Minor modifications may be made during your 3 final runs.

 

Materials:   The STEAM festival committee will provide a basic kit of supplies which 

will include one standard sized mousetrap, several Popsicle sticks, two 8” x 1⁄4” dowel rods,  a length of fishing line and hot glue/ glue guns for your usage. All other materials to build the vehicle are legal and optional.  Safety standards must be adhered to. 

 

Rules:

1. Rubber bands may not be used to connect the lever/arm to the axle.  NO other energy source may be added. (e.g.CO2 Cartridge, batteries, elastic strings, rubber bands, etc.)

2. Students must design and build their own vehicle during the building phase which must be solely powered by the mousetrap provided. 

3. The springs on the mousetrap may not be cut, bent, over-wound, heat treated, or altered in any other manner. 

4. Vehicle must roll or coast along the track. All wheels must stay in contact with the surface. 

5. Repairs are only allowed with replacement parts and materials during the building stage.

6. The axle of the vehicle’s front wheel(s) must start on the start line.

7. Students may not touch or interfere with the vehicle once the lever has been tripped. 

8. The distance that the vehicle travels will be measured from the start line to the axle of the vehicle’s front wheels. 

9. The vehicle will be allowed 3 final runs. Minor modifications can be made between runs. The greater distance of the three trials will be the recorded distance. 

10. Track Specifications:  

• The track will be: 

  • i. 8 feet wide 

  • ii.144 feet long 

  • iii. Vehicle can start anywhere on the 8’ start line

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Awards: Awards are given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

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