Try this next
Test the same number of bands with a lighter chassis to separate band count from car mass.
Elastic Band Car Challenge
An elastic band, a chassis, and a question: what makes this car go further? You will find out.
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Venture In
Wero
Observe
Kite
Infer
Whakaaro
Create
Auaha
Evaluate
Tohu
Evidence you will build
- Fair test dataset (min. 3 trials)
- Free body diagram
- Distance/force graph
- Scientific explanation paragraph
Why this matters
Fair-test motion data builds shared community insights about friction, alignment, and elastic energy — the foundation for redesign.
What you will investigate and collect
You will design a simple elastic-band-powered car and test how one change at a time affects how far it travels. Which design variable — winding turns, wheel size, band length, or alignment — affects distance the most. Three runs per change, distance measured the same way each time.
- Date and time
- Variable setting
- Trial number (1–3)
- Distance travelled (m)
What you might make or share
- Redesigned chassis3D print
Lighter or stronger car frame based on distance data
Your best distance run tells you what mass and shape to aim for.
- Launch guideLaser cut
Consistent release mechanism to reduce trial variation
If your results vary a lot between trials, a consistent launch guide could help.
- Wheel spacer3D print
Change wheel alignment or friction based on steering data
If your car drifted during testing, a wheel spacer targets that variable.
What other investigators found
Try this next
Measure the same car on two surfaces with identical elastic band setup before changing anything else.
What you will investigate
You will design a simple elastic-band-powered car and test how one change at a time affects how far it travels.
What you will collect
Date and time, Variable setting
What you might make or share
A printed wheel spacer, a small graph story