SPH 3U Culminating Task: SIMPLE CARS

By the end of this activity, you will have tested the efficiency of a simple vehicle. Your
report of its operation will include motion, force and energy analysis.

Steps:
1. You will be given a video of a simple mousetrap car (in the Drop Box). The
video shows a mouse trap powered car that starts from rest and runs down the
hall. Lines of tape were placed every 0.5 m. Using the video, you will collect
position time data for the car. Watch the video and record the time when the car
passes the first line of tape (t0). Next record the time the car passes the second
line of tape (0.5 m later), subtract t0 from this time to get time to the second line.
Repeat again with the next line ..... Record your data in a data table (see below)

2. There will be two noticeable parts to the motion data. In the first part, the car will
have positive acceleration (as the mousetrap arm pulls string off of the car's axle)
and in the second part the car will have a slight negative acceleration (as the car
coasts and slows down due to friction).

3. Analyze the data to provide the required information (see below) and write a
formal lab report with the following sections.
 Title:
 Purpose: To find the efficiency of a simple vehicle.
 Procedure: "as in lab instructions"
 Data and Calculations (use the table shown below to summarize your position and
time data, and calculate velocities during the run.) You must show at least one
example of every calculation you do below the table. (show all steps!)

Position from Change in Time from Time interval Velocity in

start (given) position start (given) Δt (s) each time
d (m) Δd (m) t (s) interval
v (m/s)
0 XXXXXXXXX* 0 XXXXXXXXX* XXXXXXXX*

* we will begin calculations for velocity in the second row.

F:\SPH3U\MOUSE TRAP CAR\SPH3U CULMINATING TASK FALL2022.DOCX

Mass of the car (given) =

Force exerted by mouse trap arm at mid point (given) =

Length of string being pulled from the axle (given) =

 Analysis: Do the following steps showing full solutions!

Motion
a. Plot the data points on both a d-t graph and a v-t graph.
b. What is the maximum velocity of the car and when does it occur (time)?
c. What is the slope of the v-t graph when the car is in the positive
acceleration phase? Draw a line of best fit through the positive acceleration
phase of the data. Show your calculations and the line on the v-t graph.
Force
d. The slope of the v-t graph is the acceleration of the car. Use the
acceleration and the mass of the car to find what Net Force was exerted on
the car in the first (acceleration) phase of the motion?

Energy
e. What is the maximum kinetic energy of the car? Show your work.
f. Use the force the arm applies to the string (F) and the length of the string (d)
to find the work done by the mousetrap to the car. Show your work.
g. How efficient is your car? Show your work.

 Conclusion

F:\SPH3U\MOUSE TRAP CAR\SPH3U CULMINATING TASK FALL2022.DOCX