Scioly.org

Mousetrap Vehicle C: Teams design, build and test a vehicle using one or two snap mousetraps as its sole means of propulsion to push a paper cup forward, reverse direction, and stop as close as possible to a target point.

Mousetrap Vehicle Wiki

Mousetrap Vehicle Image Gallery

Past Threads: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018

The Rules are harsh difficult strenuous strange this year.
That second trap might be too much power for the track.

Anyone care to comment on whether the 3oz cup rule (5.c.) refers to weight or volume? I would assume volume - but it seems like a pretty glaring ambiguity to me...

Additionally, 5.b and 5.i. read together seem to imply that a vehicle that is ready to run at 7:59 would be allowed to complete said run, but that it would be marked as a failed run if it took longer than the remaining second. This would be a notable change from past years, although it may be unintentional...

nicholasmaurer wrote:Anyone care to comment on whether the 3oz cup rule (5.c.) refers to weight or volume? I would assume volume - but it seems like a pretty glaring ambiguity to me...

I'm pretty sure it means volume, since 3 oz is 85 g, which would be unreasonably heavy for a paper cup.

There's some ambiguity in the placement of the VTP. It states that the VTP is between the SP and the CTP, but it doesn't state measured from which point. For example, if the VTP distance was 1.00m, it could be 1.00 m from the SP (which seems pretty difficult), or 1.00m from the CTP (a lot easier). Am I missing something?

antoine_ego wrote:

nicholasmaurer wrote:Anyone care to comment on whether the 3oz cup rule (5.c.) refers to weight or volume? I would assume volume - but it seems like a pretty glaring ambiguity to me...

I'm pretty sure it means volume, since 3 oz is 85 g, which would be unreasonably heavy for a paper cup.

Agreed. However, without an FAQ (or rule clarification changing it to fl oz.), I would rule in favor of an ES who used a cup of any volume that weighed 3oz OR a cup with a 3oz volume.

To be fair, last year's rules had the same ambiguity, but it was less concerning because it would be incredibly difficult to find a plastic cup weighing 16oz...

antoine_ego wrote:There's some ambiguity in the placement of the VTP. It states that the VTP is between the SP and the CTP, but it doesn't state measured from which point. For example, if the VTP distance was 1.00m, it could be 1.00 m from the SP (which seems pretty difficult), or 1.00m from the CTP (a lot easier). Am I missing something?

I would refer you to the track diagram here which is incorporated as part of the rules per 6.a.

nicholasmaurer wrote:

antoine_ego wrote:There's some ambiguity in the placement of the VTP. It states that the VTP is between the SP and the CTP, but it doesn't state measured from which point. For example, if the VTP distance was 1.00m, it could be 1.00 m from the SP (which seems pretty difficult), or 1.00m from the CTP (a lot easier). Am I missing something?

I would refer you to the track diagram here which is incorporated as part of the rules per 6.a.

I think that might be the 2018 diagram. But thanks! I'll just wait until the diagram comes out

antoine_ego wrote:

nicholasmaurer wrote:

antoine_ego wrote:There's some ambiguity in the placement of the VTP. It states that the VTP is between the SP and the CTP, but it doesn't state measured from which point. For example, if the VTP distance was 1.00m, it could be 1.00 m from the SP (which seems pretty difficult), or 1.00m from the CTP (a lot easier). Am I missing something?

I would refer you to the track diagram here which is incorporated as part of the rules per 6.a.

I think that might be the 2018 diagram. But thanks! I'll just wait until the diagram comes out

You're right - that is last year's diagram. I expect the new one will be out very soon and should clarify the measurements. It's hard to visualize/interpret without a diagram.

nicholasmaurer wrote:Anyone care to comment on whether the 3oz cup rule (5.c.) refers to weight or volume? I would assume volume - but it seems like a pretty glaring ambiguity to me...

It sounded like volume to me too. It would be hard to find a 3oz weight paper cup, and the ES couldn't put anything in it since it's upside down.

What does the sponsorship of the event by Lockheed Martin do for the event?