How to build a simple rubber band powered car out of household materials.
Rubber band cars for distance.
A great working elastic band powered car 0 00 0 20 testing 0 20 1 22 building the b.
Adding the rubber bands can be tricky.
It s a thicker cardboard and will definitely hold up better.
Without the rubber bands the wheels will spin out and waste energy before the car overcomes its inertia and begins moving.
When you wind up the rubber bands to power the car you re forcing the polymer chains to straighten out which creates elastic potential energy.
The aim of this project is distance.
With the rubber band cars the rubber used is made up of long polymer chains that in their natural state are all wrinkled up.
Long distance rubber band car.
The best method is to hold a rubber band against the edge of the wheel with your thumb then carefully work it onto the wheel with your other hand picture 1.
This rubber band car tutorial comes right out of the pages of one of my new books rubber band mania.
It must travel at least 20 meters and best of all is above.
Basically it s a project to build a rubber band car of any size and not use any materials designed or it s intentional use is for a car.
Anything below 20 meters is a failing grade.
Repeat with all 4 wheels.
And only utilize one rubber band for it s main power source.
The video below shows a thirty foot run would have been longer but the trans.