Mousetrap Vehicle C

fleet130
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Re: Mousetrap Vehicle C

Post by fleet130 »

"Using Magnets" is a little vague! What will they be used for? If it's to provide energy to propel the vehicle somehow, the answer is no. There may be many allowable usea, if we knew what the rules are.

The general idea is that all energy to propel the vehicle must be stored in the mousetrap. Once the mousetrap has been released to start a run, energy may be transferred from the mousetrap to other storage devices. Those other devices must have no usable energy (to propel the vehicle) except that which is transferred from the mousetrap.

Energy transfers are seldom used because they are never 100% efficient. Energy is lost with each transfer, leaving less available to propel the vehicle.
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Re: Mousetrap Vehicle C

Post by Paradox21 »

Under the old rules, I think you could have used a magnet as part of a triggering mechanism for the 2nd mousetrap. You could even use a battery powered device (perhaps an electromagnet) but this additional energy could not be used to help propel the vehicle in any way.
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Re: Mousetrap Vehicle C

Post by yogi94 »

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. Magnets as a braking system? I'm guessing I can from the two replies.. Thanks :D
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