Simple Machines

[Grean Beens]

I have some questions on how lenient the simple machines can be. For example, could we tell the event supervisor a mousetrap counts as a 3rd class lever? (Fulcrum on one end, spring is a little above that, and the actual resistance is at the top) Is it dependent on the event supervisor?

[Unome]

My guess would be that it varies between supervisors, and I would suggest erring on the side of caution (not that I've taken this event).

[brayden box]

you're probably right. My team has 8 people doing this event. There's no electronics, right?

[SkiSoloII]

According to this website, the mousetrap IS a 3rd class lever.
http://www.school-for-champions.com/machines/levers.htm

[goodcheer]

I have some questions on how lenient the simple machines can be. For example, could we tell the event supervisor a mousetrap counts as a 3rd class lever? (Fulcrum on one end, spring is a little above that, and the actual resistance is at the top) Is it dependent on the event supervisor?

Rule 3L specifically mentions a mousetrap as an energy storage device (since it has a spring). Also it actually has three different levers, so it is not a simple machine, but a complex one (the bar with the spring, the bar that holds the bait, and the bar that holds the trap in tension). Just an opinion, but it is best to just use it as an energy storage device and not a simple machine.