Elastic Band Car Instructions

These are recycled paper staws.

Elastic band car instructions.

Rubber bands are a convenient and effective way to teach energy transformation and this rubber band car makes that lesson a blast. I ll include affiliate links to find what you need on amazon as well. The energy generated from the rubber band snapping back into shape is enough to power this small car. The rubber band unwinds to regain its former configuration spinning the axle and propelling the car forward in the process.

4 toothpicks or wooden skewers. I have also used a paper clip. While you can certainly use a paper towel tube for your car i chose a sturdier tube that came from a box of aluminum foil. Rubber bands can inflict pain if mishandled.

I cut a slit in the top of the. On twisting the rubber band around the axle you are storing potential energy in it that gets transformed into kinetic energy when you let it go. When released that energy is converted to kinetic motion energy. A quick google search for rubber band car project yields tens of thousands of results so why reinvent the rubber band powered wheel the top results show cars with small wheels without traction or cd wheels which are difficult to attach to an axel both of.

Finally run a chain of rubber bands from one end of the cardboard tube to the other and secure it with a paper clip. Next wrap 2 rubber bands around each cd to make an x shape and attach the cds to the car by sliding the wooden spools onto the dowels. 2 straws this will be the frame of the car. Wrap the rubber band around the rear axle.

A stretched rubber band is a great source of elastic potential energy. Here are the items needed for your diy race car and the step by step directions for making a diy rubber band racer. It s a thicker cardboard and will definitely hold up better. Adult supervision is recommended for children under 10.

Depending on the length of your car you may need two rubber bands. Hence the more the winds of the rubber band the faster and longer your drive. We needed two attach the rubber band to a fixed position at the front of the car.