The Polar Express
By: David Feller
Shannon MacAdams
Ryan McGranaghan
and Ryan Whitted
The Design
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Manually begins with a billiard ball
Billiard ball falls on cloth, cloth projects marble
Track leads to mousetrap, marble sets it off
String secured to mousetrap removes tape that
releases two strings:
– One that releases the car
– One that releases the additional weight needed to lift
the kg of mass
Stored energy
• Starts at a raised position
• Mass of billiard ball raises lesser mass of
the marble
• Marble gains energy through angled ramp
toward mousetrap
• Mousetrap is engaged and pulls tape
• Tension is eliminated in the strings
• Extra weight, car, & polar bear roll down
ramp using gravity and pulls weight
Construction issues
• Beginning stages
• Application of ideas
– Gate
– Mousetrap
– Lifting kilogram
Inspirational words from the good men at goldfish: