PHOTO GALLERY: Energy efficiency as mousetrap cars unzip spring-loaded power

It’s an annual derby that gets the imaginations of 6th Grade students as well as their parents going

  • By QUENTIN ROUX
  • Posted October 8, 2009 at 5:07 p.m.

Spring Loaded

It’s an annual derby that gets the imaginations of 6th Grade students as well as their parents going. Following an annual science class tradition, mousetrap cars of all shapes, sizes and colors were recently put through their paces at the Marco Island Charter Middle School. The yearly exercise, under the watchful (and sometimes amused) eye of science teacher Dr. Vincent Albanese, is to demonstrate the transfer of the spring energy into kinetic energy, hence the movement of the cars down the gymnasium floor. Some cars were worthy of any toy company, while others were clearly student-built, but the end result, says Dr. Albanese, each year, was the same: An improved concept of energy on the part of the young students.

© 2009 marconews.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

  • Discuss
  • Print

Also in Features

Comments » 0

Be the first to post a comment!

Share your thoughts

Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.

Comments can be shared on Facebook and Yahoo!. Add both options by connecting your profiles.

Features