SCIENCE LAB PLEASE HELP!!!!:: need to boost performance of small solar-powered car racing under lights?

Question

For our final science project, our teacher gave us a wooden body with axels going through it, four plastic wheels, a solar panel, and a DC motor with a gear on the end that will mesh with one of the wheels to make the car move. Is there any way to boost the performance of a small, solar-powered, wooden car like this one? We can't attach a battery, but we can explore alternate energy sources, especially ones involving magnetism and/or sustainable energy. The person who wins the race gets an A+, and I really need the grade!!!! Can anybody help? Changing the gear ratio is one idea I came up with, but I'm having a hard time finding a gear that fits. Any thoughts? Thanks ... Julie

P.S. :: The car will be racing on a slick tile surface under a set of constant lights. The setting will be controlled.

Answer 1

My advice is to look into building your own fuel cell to boost your cars performance. These could definitely add a little more needed power to your car.  Research it a little. Some require very little to get some extra power out of things.

Or you could always try and increase the solar cell's power output by adding a magnifying glass or two (a big magnifying sheet mounted a few inches above it might give you an extra little boost.)

Answer 2

Make it as light as possible-reduce the body weight if you can by hollowing out sections unnecessary for the integrity of it and sanding it down. I think you're on the right track with the reduction gear ratio.

The only way I can think of magnetism working would require some sort of induction motor-generator combo mounted onto one of the axles to create the relative motion necessary, but I don't even know what you'd do with that to make the car faster.

Answer 3

1). Reduce the weight of the car body as much as you can or are allowed to, by (for example) drilling holes in it (F= ma)

2).Take a close look at the wheels and axles to find anywhere you can lubricate them (except of course the gear drive) to reduce frictional losses

3). Make sure to mount the drive so that its gear fully drives the wheel without either binding or slipping to achieve best efficiency

4). Sand down the car as much as possible to improve its aerodynamics ( I don't think this will matter much, but every little helps)