Engineering Lab Report Example
MESA DAY
EXAMPLE - ENGINEERING LAB REPORT
Instructions: Use template to write the lab report for your MESA Project. Provide as much detail as
possible in your report. The report must be typed. All graphs, tables and charts MUST be created
Excel or MS Word. No hand drawn table graphs and charts are allowed. Citation must be in MLA
Format. The lab reports are due a week before the MESA Day Prelims.
Lab Report Due Dates:
High School: February 26, 2023 11:59 p.m.
Middle School: March 5, 2023 at 11:59 p.m.
Lab Report received after the due date will receive a 25% deduction on the lab report score
TEAM MEMBERS NAMES: Catherine Douglas, Jane Doe, John White, Emma Smith
SCHOOL: UCLA Sample School
CENTER: UCLA MESA Center
MESA PROJECT: Mousetrap Car
GRADE: LEVEL (circle one): 6th 7/8th 9/10th 11/12th
Note: This example lab report is to be used as a guide to assist you with writing your lab report. The "Best
Practices", "Notes" in this sample lab report are helpful suggestions and should not be included in your final lab
report.
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Engineering Lab Report Example
1. IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM
What is the challenge being worked on?
Best Practice: Write in full sentence. Don’t be hesitant to modify or add to what you write as
you progress through the process of completing the project.
Oct. 16, 2018
Our team will create a mousetrap cart compete in the 2019-20 MESA Day Preliminary competition.
Our team will build a mouse trap car which is only powered by the lever of the mousetrap. The goal is
to have the mousetrap go the farthest distance in the shortest amount of time.
Oct. 27, 2018
Based on the research we have completed , we will test the following criteria to determine how we will
build the mousetrap car
a. Wheel Size
b. Lever Length
c. Length of Car Body
d. Wheel Friction (balloons on or off wheel)\
e. Weight of Mousetrap Car
What are the limits/constraints?
Oct. 16, 2018
The challenges the team members anticipate with building the mousetrap car are creating enough power
to make the mousetrap car move at top speed.
Oct. 27, 2018
Determining which type of wheels will be best to allow the mousetrap to move as fast as possible.
Should wheels be large or small?
Other things we need to consider when building the mousetrap
a. Weight
b. Length
c. Length of the lever
d. Frictions on wheels
How do you think you can you solve it?
Oct. 16, 2018
The team will create different prototypes with different, weight, lengths and different size wheels. After
building the prototypes, wheel size will be tested for speed, time and distance to determine which will
be the final model for the mousetrap car.
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Engineering Lab Report Example
2. EXPLORE- Find out what others have done (research). Clearly list at least 5 sources
using MLA citation format (web pages, articles, books, etc.). Identify (cite) and
describe each source with one or more sentences.
Source #1
Citation: Thelemarck, C., “Build a Mousetrap”, Instructables, Autodesk, Inc., 27, Oct. 2019,
https://www.instructables.com/id/Build-a-Mousetrap-Car/
Description: This site provides step-by-step instructions on how to build a mouse trap car. Additionally,
the site provides videos and a materials list.
Source #2:
Citation: “Build A Mousetrap Car”, Home Science Tools, Home Science Tools. 27 Oct. 2018,
https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/build-a-mousetrap-powered-car/
Description: This site provides step by step instruction on how to build mousetrap car. The website
provides things to think about when building a mousetrap car. Things to consider are wheel-to axle ratio,
inertia, and rate of energy and fiction.
Source #3:
Citation: wikiHow Staff, “How to Build a Mousetrap Car”. wikiHow, wikiHow, Inc. 27 Oct. 2018,
https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Mousetrap-Car
Description: This site provide step by step instructions on how to build a mousetrap car. The site
also provides a list or supplies needed and videos showing how to build the mousetrap car.
Source #4:
Citation: Harder, Theodore. “Modeling the Physics of A Mousetrap Car”. CTE Online. Butte
County Office of Education CET Center, 27 Oct. 2018
https://cteonline.org/curriculum/lessonplan/modeling-the-physics-of-the-mousetrap-car/J3bA0K
Description: The website provides lessons and activities associated with the physics of a mousetrap
car.
Source #5:
Citation: Young, Hugh D. , Roger Freedman. University Physics. Vol. 2. Pearson Education, Inc., 2012
Description: The book explains the various physics phenomenon associated with the mousetrap car
and provides formulas to calculate speed, kinetic and potential energy , frictions, etc.
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Engineering Lab Report Example
3. DESIGN - Brainstorm ideas (at least 3) and record them. Write 2-3 sentences
describing your idea. Make sure to include a sketch or drawing for each.
Best Practice: In your write up, be specific and provide as much detail as possible. Write in
full sentences.
Idea #1
Make a mouse car using the following items, Balsawood, CDs. mouse trap, straws, wooden dowels,
balloons and string.
This mousetrap will have a long body and big wheels. We will place the mouse trap at different
locations on the cardboard to determine how the speed and momentum are affected by the placement of
the mouse trap.
We will change the wheels to small wheels and repeat the process to determine how the speed
and momentum are affected.
We will also experiment with
a. different lengths of the lever used to release the spring of the mousetrap.
b. different surfaces with and without a balloon around the wheels.
Idea #2
Make a mouse car using the following items, balsawood, CDs, wheels, mouse trap, straws, wooden
dowels, balloons and string.
This mousetrap will have a short body and big wheels. We will place the mouse trap at different
locations on the cardboard to determine how the speed and momentum are affected by the placement of
the mouse trap.
We will change the wheels to small wheels and repeat the process to determine how the sped and
momentum affected.
We will also experiment
a. different lengths of the lever used to release the spring of the mousetrap.
b. different surfaces with and without a balloon around the wheels.
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Engineering Lab Report Example
Idea #3
Make a mouse car using the following items, Balsawood, CDs, mouse trap, straws, wooden dowels,
balloons and string.
This mousetrap will be used as the body of the car. Both big and small wheels will be used to build the car
and we will test the car to determine how speed and momentum of affected.
We will also experiment with
a. different lengths of the lever used to release the spring of the mousetrap.
b. different surfaces with and without a balloon around the wheels.
Select one of the 3 ideas above and describe a plan for building it (at least 5 sentences).
The idea our team chose was idea #1. In testing the various prototypes, it had the fast time for moving
the farthest distance. The following categories were testes and used to determine the idea chosen by our
group.
The specification of the mousetrap car will be the following
Body: Mousetrap car on a 12” piece of balsa wood
Wheel Size: Small
Balloons on Wheels: Yes
Lever Size: 6 inches
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Engineering Lab Report Example
Generate a list of materials for the prototype.
Mousetrap
String
Metal Rod
Wooden Dowels
1/8" eyehooks
Straws
Balloons
Glue
CDS
Small wheels
Balsa wood
Scissors
Hot Glue Gin
Tacky Glue
Clay
Xacto Knife
Plastic zip ties (small)
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Engineering Lab Report Example
4. CREATE - Using your plan, build your prototype. Describe how the prototype was
built in at least 5 sentences. Include a picture of the actual project prototype built.
Following is a description of how the prototype was built
1. A 3/16” balsawood was cut to 12 inches and the edges were sanded.
2. A 2 “square was cut out from each end of the balsawood.
3. Eye hooks were screwed and glued in the ends of each side of the balsawood.
4. Wood dowels were cut to 3 ¼” and placed in the eye hooks
5. The wheels were glued to the ends of each wooden dowels to create the wheels and axel of the mouse
trap car
6. The metal rod was cut to 4” and zip tied to the side of the mousetrap arm.
7. The mousetrap was then glued to balsawood.
8. The sting is then tied to the metal rod and the back axel of the mousetrap car.
9. The back axel is then spun to wrap the string around the axel.
10. Balloons were cut horizontally and around wheels of mousetrap to create friction.
Prototype Image(s) – Copy and Paste image (s) below
Best Practice: Label all the parts of the inserted image to show how supplies were used
mousetrap balsawood body
string
metal rod lever
wood dowel axels
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Engineering Lab Report Example
5. TRY IT OUT - Test your idea/prototype. Describe at least 3 trials/attempts. Use
tables/charts as needed.
Best Practice: Provide and write a concise description in what was tested. Provide images if possible
Note: Only one test case was completed to give an example of what should be done. In the actual
lab report teams are to submit, teams are responsible for completing all 3 test cases. Provide proof of results
in the Graphs and Table section of the report.
Test #1
Criteria : Small wheels vs Large Wheels
We tried three different size wheels to use in the mousetrap car
1 3/8” diameter and 3/32” thick wheel 1 3/16 ” diameter and 3/8” thick wheel 4 ¾ “ diameter wheel
Results:
The 1 3/8“with 3/32 diameter thickness wheels were the best choice based on testing the three different
wheels. See the chart below for testing results. The Graphs and Tables section of our engineering lab report
display the results of our testing.
Test #2:
Criteria:
Results:
Test #3:
Criteria:
Results:
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Engineering Lab Report Example
Graphs and Tables
Place charts, graphs and tables which provide information in your device. All graphs, charts
and table MUST be create in Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word.
Best Practice: Make sure all charts, graphs and tables are labeled with correct units and
have titles, row and column headings which explain the graph, chart or tables.
Note: Only one test case was completed to give an example of what should be done. In the
actual lab report teams are to submit, teams should provide, tables, graphs and charts for all
three test cases.
Test Results – Wheel Size
Table headings and row/column labels to provide information on what is being measured
1 3/8” diameter and 3/32” thick wheel 1 3/16 ” diameter and 3/8” thick wheel 4 ¾ “ diameter wheel
Distance (ft) Time (sec) Speed (ft/sec) Distance (ft) Time (sec) Speed ( ft/sec) Distance Time Speed (feet/sec)
Test 1 120 45.8 2.620087336 100.45 30 3.348333333 10.33 20 0.5165
Test 2 92.5 30.5 3.032786885 99.56 25 3.9824 25 30 0.833333333
Test 3 73.3 30.3 2.419141914 70.16 46.7 1.50235546 50.5 45.6 1.10745614
Test 4 69.76 20.2 3.453465347 66 52.4 1.259541985 100.25 50.3 1.99304175
Test 5 150.25 60 2.504166667 40.9 33.6 1.217261905 66.167 30 2.205566667
Chart Title and
Measurement units
Axis labels on
charts
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Engineering Lab Report Example
Best Practice: Provide equations with name of equation and explain how equation was used.
Define each variable and provide units of measurement. You can use equation editor in Microsoft
Word or Google Docs to write equations.
Use of mathematical concepts/equations:
Applicable math concept/equation (state concept/equation):
Distance Equation: 𝒅=𝒓∗𝒕
𝒅 = distance (feet)
𝒓 = speed (feet/second)
𝒕 = time (seconds)
How was the concept/equation used?
(Demonstrate use of concept/equation as it pertained to project):
The distance equation was used to determine the speed of the mousetrap when it was tested with wheels of
different size and thickness. The equation was manipulated to solve for 𝒓 and this new equation was used
to determine the speed of the mouse trap. The equation for 𝒓 is provided below
𝑑
𝑟=
𝑡
Applicable math concept/equation (state concept/equation):
Kinetic Energy: 𝐾𝐸 = 1⁄2 𝑚𝑣 2
𝐾𝐸 = Kinetic Energy
𝑚 = mass
𝑣 = velocity
How was the concept/equation used?
(Demonstrate use of concept/equation as it pertained to project):
The equation was used to measure the kinetic energy generated by the mouse trap lever when it was
released. See the figure above to view the kinetic energy.
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Engineering Lab Report Example
6. MAKE IT BETTER - How can you make the project better? What modifications
do you plan to make (state at least 5)?
Modification/Improvement #1:
Option #1 to improve the mousetrap car is experiment with different size wheels on the front or the back
of the mousetrap car.
Modification/Improvement #2:
Option #2 to improve the mousetrap car is experiment with different boy shapes of the mouse trap car
Possible option is a trapezoidal shape body to make the car more aerodynamic. The short side of the trapezoid
would be the front of the car and the larger side will be in the back to allow the mouse trap to be mounted.
The different ratios of the short side to the long side will be experimented with to determine the optimal shape
of the trapezoid body.
Modification/Improvement #3:
Option #3 would be to experiment with different size axels to determine if this affect the speed of the
mousetrap car.
Modification/Improvement #4:
Option # 4 would be to experiment with placement of the mouse trap on the car body to determine how this
affects the speed of the mouse trap.
Modification/Improvement #5:
Option # 5 would be to experiment with how the length of the rectangular piece cut out from the ends of
the mouse trap car body. This would reduce the weight of the mouse trap car and thus affect the speed of
the mousetrap car.
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Engineering Lab Report Example
Build and prepare a competition ready project. Include a picture/drawing below.
Show different views of your project (top view, side view, front view etc.)
Note: The image below is an example. In the actual lab report this images should be of your
teams completed project. If drawings were creating on CAD based software those drawing
should be included in this section also.
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