Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix
Welcome to the official website for the Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix! SBM Offshore Guyana, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix, invites students from Secondary/High schools to participate.
What is the Mousetrap Competition?
The Mousetrap competition began in Monaco as a programme to promote Science and Engineering among primary and secondary school students with a fun race among model cars powered by a mousetrap designed and built by students.
The Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix was created a few years ago under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco.
The competition revolves around using the Laws of Physics to design and race with small cars powered by mousetraps.
The winning team from Guyana will have the opportunity to compete internationally for a chance to represent the country at the international event in Monaco.
When you apply, when you experiment, when you try, you learn and do not forget! – Marco Casiraghi
Objectives of the Race
The objective of the race is to have students design and build a vehicle that is powered solely by the supplied mouse trap and activated by tripping the original mousetrap trip mechanism.
General Rules for Participation
How will your creations be judged?
- Acceleration – The vehicle will have to travel to a 10-meter line in the shortest amount of time
- Advanced – The vehicle will travel to a 5-meter line and then reverse to the start line in the shortest amount of time
- Regularity Rally – The vehicle will travel to a 10-meter line in a given time
- Innovation and Creativity – The vehicle will have to be built with an innovative and creative design
- Endurance – The winner of this category will be the vehicle that travels to the furthest distance possible
- Best lesson – The winner of this category will be recognized as the best in explaining with ease how to tie and apply the laws of physics and the engineering formulas to the realization of a mousetrap car for an acceleration performance.
What materials do you need?
All the materials needed by the participating schools are a smooth 10 metre surface and a manual or electronic stopwatch.
A mousetrap will be supplied to all participating schools.
Prizes and Awards
Local competition:
- Cash grant to develop the winning schools’ STEM clubs/physics laboratory.
- A chance to participate in the Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix, for which awards will be given by the Monegasque authority.
If selected for the international leg of the competition:
- Tickets to watch the Historic Grand Prix from a prime location (either on the circuit or in the prestigious Tunnel Riva.
- Expense-paid trip to Monaco for one week if selected for international competition.
Entries can be made to the Ministry of Education or to the school's Headteacher on or before February 12, 2024.
IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR SCHOOLS
- Schools should assist the students by teaching them the necessary laws of physics to build their vehicles.
- We strongly encourage schools to teach students the basic physics needed to build their vehicles.
- In the spirit of the initiative all students who take time and effort to participate should be recognized for their willingness to improve their scientific knowledge. Schools will be provided with the template to make diplomas and medals for the internal race.
- Please make sure all participating students read and adhere to the code of conduct at all times.
- Invitations to participate in the final race will be sent to the teachers. Teachers and students are expected to arrive in Monaco on the Friday of the Historic Grand Prix weekend between 12:00 and 13:30 for registration at the address that will be communicated in the invitation letter. The Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix race will take place on Friday afternoon.
- At the final race it is highly recommended to bring spare parts or backup models of your prototypes in case something is needed.