Question:

Mousetrap car prediction help.?

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Hi, how do i predict, via calculations the overall distance and speed of a mousetrap car?

Thanks

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  1. You need to calculate the potential energy stored in the ****** spring of the mousetrap. That would be U = (1/2)kx^2 where k is the spring constant and x is the displacement of the spring when set. You would have to take a measurements of the force needed to stretch the mousetrap spring  to get k the spring constant.

    When you release the car , ideally , all the stored energy goes into kinetic energy and makes the car move with velocity v and kinetic energy K = (1/2)mv^2

    Equating the two energies  

    (1/2)kx^2 = (1/2)mv^2

    kx^2 =mv^2

    x/v =sqrt(k/m)

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