Rubber Band Powered Car

Materials: ★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
Difficulty: ★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
Safety: ★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required

Categories: Energy, Motion

Alternative titles: Elastic Energy Car

Summary

A simple car is built from cardboard, straws, wooden skewers, CDs, and a rubber band. Winding the rubber band stores elastic potential energy, which is released to spin the axle and propel the car forward.

Procedure

Build a car as shown in the links below.
Wind the rear axle to stretch the rubber band.
Place the car on a flat surface and release. Watch it move forward as the rubber band unwinds.

Links

How to make Rubber Band Powered CAR diy toy car - NewKey Hack:

Rubber Band Car STEM Project DIY Video Tutorial - STEAM Powered Family:

📄 Build a Rubber Band-Powered Car - Science Buddies: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/rubber-band-car

Variations

Try different rubber bands (long, short, thick, thin) to see how distance and speed change.
Test on different surfaces and compare results.
Add grip to the wheels using rubber bands or glue beads around the edges.
Compare front-wheel drive vs rear-wheel drive designs.

Safety Precautions

Do not over-stretch rubber bands to avoid snapping.

Questions to Consider

Where is potential energy stored in this car? (In the stretched rubber band.)
How is the energy transformed as the car moves? (Elastic potential energy converts to kinetic energy of motion.)
Why does adding traction to the wheels help? (It prevents slipping, allowing more energy to push the car forward.)
What variables could you change to make the car go farther? (Rubber band size, wheel type, axle length, or surface friction.)