Propeller Car

Project Snapshot

Fast and fun, the propeller car is a hands-on lesson in air-powered thrust and inertia. Small, lightweight wheels have less inertia than big ones, which lets the car reach its maximum speed quickly!

Just wind it up and watch it race across the floor up to 30'!

Get the lesson plan and project sheet for this activity

Step 1

Step 2

Step 6

Step 1

1/7

Click to expand

Tools and Materials

The Engineering Creation Kit has everything you need for this project and many more from STEM Inventions, or get the supplies in bulk:

Hot glue gun
Glue sticks
Masking tape
Craft sticks

Propellers
Wheels
1/2" craft cubes
Paperclips
Long rubber bands

Tips and Troubleshooting

If the car isn't going very far, then...

Wind up the rubber bands more.
Try adding more than 1 rubber band.
Make sure the wheels can spin freely.

If the car is out of control when first released, then...

If the rubber bands are wound up a lot, then the torque of the propeller may cause the car to spin! Try winding up the rubber bands less, or use fewer rubber bands.

Back to Projects