Street Science (2017–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - Forces of Nature - full transcript

♪♪

Delaney: IT'S WOOD, METAL,

AND THE ENEMY OF SMALL RODENTS EVERYWHERE.

MOUSETRAP!

THESE THINGS ARE DANGEROUS,
AND WE'RE SUPERSIZING THEM.

DID SOMEBODY SAY, "THE TENSION'S BUILDING"?

All: GO!

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

Delaney: CAN A MOUSETRAP
ACTUALLY POWER A CAR?

I FEEL IT. IT'S MOVING. SEE YA.

Delaney: AND A FLASH-FREEZE SMACKDOWN.



OH, MY GOSH.

MY NAME IS KEVIN DELANEY.

I'VE BEEN SHOWING OFF THE
MAGIC OF SCIENCE FOR YEARS,

FROM MUSEUMS TO TALK SHOWS.

WE'RE TAKING SCIENCE TO THE STREETS

AND COMBINING EVERYDAY ELEMENTS

IN WAYS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND.

I'VE GOT A TALENTED TEAM
OF ENGINEERS AND EXPERTS,

INCLUDING "THE BACKYARD
SCIENTIST" HIMSELF...

WAIT, THAT WAS A TWIST-OFF?

...AND OUR CINEMATOGRAPHER, DARREN,

WHO USES HIGH-TECH
CAMERAS TO REVEAL THE SCIENCE

THAT SURROUNDS US IN WAYS
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

Dyk: THAT'S GNARLY.



THIS IS "STREET SCIENCE."

MOUSETRAP.

♪♪

A MOUSETRAP USES A METAL LEVER ARM

THAT PULLS AGAINST A
SPRING AND LOCKS INTO PLACE.

IT'S RELEASED BY PRESSING ON THIS TRIGGER,

USUALLY BY AN UNLUCKY MOUSE.

A TRAP WILL SLAM SHUT AS
FAST AS 12 MILLISECONDS...

A SINGLE FLAP OF A HUMMINGBIRD'S WING.

WELL, THAT'S ONE KIND OF MOUSETRAP.

AREN'T ENGINEERS SUPPOSED TO WANT TO BUILD

A BETTER MOUSETRAP?

-CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. -ALL RIGHT.

TO START, NICK WANTS TO SHOW
OFF THE POWER OF MOUSETRAPS

BY TRIGGERING A WHOLE MESS OF THEM AT ONCE.

WELL, THAT'S CERTAINLY MORE MOUSETRAPS.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THE ADAGE THAT,

"A GOOD ENGINEER IS A LAZY ENGINEER."

SO I FIGURED IF YOU WANT TO GET ONE MOUSE,

WHY NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO GET LOTS OF MICE?

YEAH. OKAY.

SPRINGING A MOUSETRAP
RELEASES DESTRUCTIVE ENERGY.

SO, HOW MUCH ENERGY IS STORED
IN ALL OF THESE LOADED TRAPS?

THESE PING-PONG BALLS
ARE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

SO, NICK IS GOING TO DROP
A PING-PONG BALL IN HERE.

WHAT IS THE REACTION GOING TO BE?

I THINK THEY'RE JUST GONNA GO EVERY WHERE.

YEAH. I AGREE.

ALL RIGHT, THERE'S ONLY
ONE WAY TO FIND OUT.

NICK, GO FOR IT.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

Woman: THAT WORKS.

I WOULD NOT WANT TO BE THAT MOUSE.

WELL, THAT WORKED.

THAT IT DID.

A MOUSETRAP WORKS ON
A VERY SIMPLE PRINCIPLE.

IT'S A SPRING WITH A LOT
OF TENSION BUILT UP INTO IT,

WHICH IS POTENTIAL ENERGY,

AND AS SOON AS YOU SET OFF THE TRAP,

ALL OF THAT POTENTIAL ENERGY
TURNS INTO KINETIC ENERGY

AND COMES CRASHING DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE.

DARREN'S HIGH-SPEED FOOTAGE CAPTURES

ALL THE ROTATIONAL FORCE,
CALLED TORQUE, IN ACTION.

THE SLAMMING OF THE TRAP'S
METAL ARM HAS ENOUGH TORQUE

TO FLIP EACH TRAP IN THE AIR, LAND,

AND SET OFF THE OTHERS.

THE FORCE IS SO POWERFUL,

IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE ALL THE
TRAPS ARE GOING OFF AT ONCE.

Woman: WHEN HE DROPPED THE PING-PONG BALL

AND IT ALL, KIND OF, SET
OFF ALL THE OTHER TRAPS

AND IT WAS JUST ONE AFTER ANOTHER,

KIND OF LIKE A DOMINO EFFECT.

I JUMPED A LITTLE BIT.

WELL, THAT WORKED. SO WHAT'S NEXT, NICK?

-BIGGER. -BIGGER MOUSETRAP.

ALL RIGHT. I THINK I KNOW
SOMEBODY WHO MIGHT BE ABLE

TO HELP US WITH THAT.

WHENEVER WE WANT TO
MAKE AN EXPERIMENT BIGGER

OR MORE FLAMMABLE,

WE TURN TO ONE MAN, KEVIN KOHLER,

ALSO KNOWN AS "THE BACKYARD SCIENTIST."

HE'S MADE A NAME FOR
HIMSELF ON THE INTERNET

CONDUCTING CRAZY EXPERIMENTS
RIGHT IN HIS BACKYARD.

IF ANYONE IS ADVENTUROUS ENOUGH

TO BUILD A BIGGER MOUSETRAP, IT'S HIM.

WE'RE MEETING HIM AT A LOCAL BREWERY,

WHERE HE'S BROUGHT A GIANT
MOUSETRAP OF HIS OWN DESIGN.

IT'S CERTAINLY A BIG MOUSETRAP.

YEAH.

CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH HOW IT WORKS?

-SO THIS IS THE BAR. -OKAY.

-THESE ARE SOME OLD CAR SPRINGS. -YEAH.

THEY WERE FROM AN OLD PONTIAC FIREBIRD.

AND I JUST, KIND OF, WELDED IT ON HERE.

WOW.

IT HAS A WENCH THAT PULLS
ON THIS PULLEY, BASICALLY,

AND TIGHTENS UP THIS SPRING.

SO IF I LOOSEN THE SPRING,
I CAN MOVE THE BAR BACK

AND LOCK IT INTO PLACE WITH THAT PIN.

AND THEN I PULL THE PIN, AND IT COMES DOWN

AT ABOUT 65 MILES AN HOUR.

SO WHAT DO WE DO WITH A
GIANT, LETHAL MOUSETRAP?

WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A GIANT MOUSE

AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

I'M JOINED BY SOME BAR PATRONS
INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT.

ALL RIGHT, Y'ALL.

WE'VE GOT THE BIG MOUSETRAP OVER THERE.

IS EVERYBODY READY TO SEE IT DO ITS THING?

-YES! -ALL RIGHT. COOL.

-KILL THE RAT! -SO, WE'VE GOT...

WELL, YEAH, WE DO HAVE THE RAT THERE,

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF.

WE HAVE SOME WATERMELON.

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT REACTS.

ANY OTHER STUFF YOU'D LIKE
TO SEE IN THE MOUSETRAP?

ARE YOU CURIOUS...
- I COULD THINK OF SOME PEOPLE.

YEAH, RIGHT. RIGHT.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL BE ABLE
TO GO TO THAT LEVEL TODAY.

Y'ALL READY TO SET IT
OFF AND SEE HOW IT IS?

- YEAH. ABSOLUTELY.
- DEFINITELY. LET'S DO IT.

DID SOMEBODY SAY, "THE TENSION'S BUILDING"?

[ MOTOR WHIRRING ]

OH, I HEAR IT. I HEAR IT.

IT'S BUILDING. IT'S BUILDING.

[ METAL CRUNCHING ] NO!

OH, I HEAR IT. I HEAR IT.

IT'S BUILDING. IT'S BUILDING.

Delaney: WE'RE SUPERSIZING
THE ENGINEERING GENIUS

OF THE SIMPLE MOUSETRAP
TO SEE WHAT IT CAN DO.

BACKYARD SCIENTIST KEVIN
KOHLER HAS AN EVIL PLAN

FOR THIS GIANT MOUSE.

[ METAL CRUNCHING ]

-OH, NOTHING. -UH-OH.

OH, MAN.

Delaney: AND THAT'S A WRAP.

HIS OLD CAR SPRING BROKE.

IT'S DESIGNED TO ABSORB
SHOCK, NOT TO BE TORQUED.

AND DO-OVER.

KEVIN, WHAT HAPPENED?

JUST TOO TENSE?

THE SPRING BROKE.

GOOD JOB, MOUSE.

Kohler: WELL, I BROUGHT A WELDER.

ALL RIGHT. GO FOR IT, MAN.

NOTHING DEFEATS THE BACKYARD SCIENTIST.

AT LEAST OUR LIVE AUDIENCE
DOESN'T SEEM TO MIND THE DELAY.

YOU WANT TO SMASH SOME MORE STUFF?

YEAH, LET'S DO IT.

WE'RE GOING TO EASE THE
MOUSETRAP BACK INTO ACTION,

STARTING WITH A WATERMELON.

ALL RIGHT. READY? -OKAY. HERE WE GO.

ALL RIGHT.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

GO! -OH!

[ CROWD CHEERING ]

Woman: THAT WAS AWESOME.

Delaney: IT TAKES AS MUCH
AS 320 POUNDS OF FORCE

TO CRUSH A WATERMELON.

AND KEVIN KOHLER'S MOUSETRAP DELIVERS.

-HOW'S IT TASTE? -I KNOW, RIGHT?

Man: NICE.

ONE THING WE CAN DEFINITIVELY SAY

IS THAT KEVIN KOHLER DEFEATED
THE WATERMELON TODAY.

-THERE YOU GO. -GOOD JOB, KEVIN.

THANKS, GUYS.

IT REALLY WENT, "BRSSH."

JUST BLEW UP.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE MOUSETRAP MECHANISM

IS WHEN YOU WIND UP THE SPRINGS,

YOU'RE STORING POTENTIAL ENERGY IN THERE.

YOU'RE PULLING THEM PAST
THEIR EQUILIBRIUM POINT.

THEN, WHEN I YANK IT OUT, THE
SPRING IS FREE TO PULL THE BAR,

AND IT PRESSES ALL THE ENERGY
INTO WHATEVER YOU'RE SMASHING.

- SO HOW POWERFUL IS THIS?
- WELL, I DON'T KNOW.

WE'VE GOT THESE G-FORCE INDICATORS

WE CAN PUT ON THE BAR

AND SEE EXACTLY HOW HARD
IT'S COMING DOWN ON STUFF.

Delaney: ONE G IS ONE
UNIT OF EARTH'S GRAVITY.

THAT'S WHAT WE EXPERIENCE PULLING US

TOWARD THE GROUND EVERY DAY.

A CAR CRASH CREATES MORE THAN
25 G's, CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY.

BY USING SHOCKWATCHES RATED
FOR VARYING LEVELS OF G-FORCE,

WE'LL BE ABLE TO QUANTIFY

JUST HOW MUCH FORCE

KEVIN'S MOUSETRAP WIELDS.

READY, KEVIN? -YEP.

THREE, TWO, ONE, GO.

THAT IS LOUD.

I AM RINGING A LITTLE BIT.

♪♪

SO THEY'RE ALL RED. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

THEY ARE ALL BROKEN. EVEN
THE 25 G ONE, WHICH MEANS

IT WOULD BE LETHAL FOR A SUSTAINED BLOW.

OH, MY GOODNESS. ALL RIGHT. SO IT WORKS.

YEAH, IT WORKS.

A CAR MAKING A SHARP TURN AT
HIGH SPEED EXPERIENCES 2 G's.

THIS G LOAD WOULD MAKE A 200-POUND PERSON

FEEL LIKE THEY WEIGHED 400 POUNDS.

OUR MOUSETRAP ARM WEIGHS 20 POUNDS

AND EXPERIENCED OVER 25 G's.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

-WOW! -YEAH!

Delaney: OUR MOUSETRAP
SNAPS AND ACCELERATES

TO 65 MILES PER HOUR,

STRIKING A BLOW WITH 1,100 POUNDS OF FORCE.

-HERE WE GO. -WHOO!

Delaney: IN CONTRAST, A
REGULAR-SIZED MOUSETRAP

STRIKES WITH AS MUCH
AS 100 POUNDS OF FORCE,

MORE THAN ENOUGH TO CRUSH A HUMAN SKULL.

THAT WAS AWESOME.

♪♪

-WE GOT THE RAINBOW, BABY. -WHOO!

-WOW. -ALL RIGHT.

Delaney: SO WE'RE GOING
TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THIS IS THE BIG ONE.

Delaney: EVERYTHING WE'VE TRIED SO FAR

HAS BEEN WEAK OR PLIABLE.

BUT WHAT ABOUT SOMETHING STRONG AND RIGID

LIKE THIS CONCRETE BLOCK?

THIS TIME, I'M STARTING TO
WORRY ABOUT THE MOUSETRAP.

-KEVIN, YOU READY? -I'M READY.

ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO.

[ WHIRRING ]

-LET'S DO IT. -GO!

THREE, TWO, ONE.

-OH! -NICE.

-THAT WAS PRETTY GREAT. -THAT WAS AWESOME.

-OH, MAN. -NICELY DONE, KEVIN.

NICELY DONE. -THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

LOOK AT THIS. -WOW.

IT DIDN'T JUST SMASH IT.
IT TOTALLY PULVERIZED IT.

ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S AWESOME.

THE SLOW MOTION LOOKED EPIC ON THIS.

WHAT'S COOL ABOUT THIS,
THOUGH, YOU CAN SEE, AS IT IMPACTS,

THE SHOCK IS ALL THE WAY
THROUGH THE ENTIRE BRICK.

LIKE, THE ENTIRE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BRICK

IS FRACTURING THE MOMENT OF IMPACT.

THAT BASICALLY JUST
LOOKS LIKE AN ASTEROID FIELD

KIND OF JUST FLYING AROUND EVERYWHERE.

Kohler: IT DIDN'T EVEN
LOOK LIKE IT STOPPED IT,

JUST CHOPPED RIGHT THROUGH IT.

STUPENDOUS AMOUNT OF DESTRUCTION.

SO THAT WAS FUN, BUT
THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY

WE CAN HARNESS THE AMOUNT OF FORCE

THIS MOUSETRAP HAS BESIDES SMASHING STUFF.

YEAH. WELL, THOSE SPRINGS
ARE SUPER TORQUED UP.

THERE'S A TON OF ENERGY STORED IN THEM.

-YEAH. -I'VE GOT AN IDEA.

ALL RIGHT.

Delaney: KEVIN KOHLER WANTS
TO HARNESS THE ENERGY

OF HIS GIANT MOUSETRAP

AND USE IT TO POWER A CAR.

NEXT, WE'RE HEADING INTO A DEEP FREEZE.

THIS IS THE ICEBAR, AND INSIDE,

IT'S A CHILLY 18 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

14 DEGREES BELOW FREEZING.

YOU DON'T LOOK VERY COOL,
BUT YOU DO LOOK WARM.

OKAY. I CAME PREPARED, UNLIKE DARREN.

RIGHT. DO Y'ALL WANT TO COME SEE THIS?

-SURE, SURE. -ALL RIGHT. COME ON OVER.

ALL RIGHT.

SO ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS GRAB THE BOTTLE

AND JUST GIVE IT A GOOD THUMP.

GO AHEAD.

Delaney: WE'RE IN A BAR MADE
AND JUSOF SCULPTED ICE, THUMP.

WHICH IS A GREAT PLACE
TO MAKE THINGS FREEZE.

GRAB THE BOTTLE AND
JUST GIVE IT A GOOD THUMP.

GO AHEAD. THERE WE GO.

-NICE. -OH, MY GOD.

THAT ONE'S GOING A LOT FASTER.

-IT IS GOING FASTER. -NICELY DONE.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

I HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS
GOING TO FREEZE COMPLETELY.

Delaney: WITH A SIMPLE TAP,

THESE BOTTLES OF WATER
FREEZE WITHIN SECONDS.

♪♪

SO WHY THE INSTANT SLUSHY?

IT'S CALLED SUPERCOOLING.

A LIQUID DOESN'T
AUTOMATICALLY BECOME A SOLID

WHEN YOU CHILL IT TO ITS FREEZING POINT.

TO KICK-START THIS PROCESS,
THE LIQUID MUST CONTAIN

SOME SORT OF IMPURITY

THAT THE WATER MOLECULES CAN BIND TO.

THAT CAN BE A SPECK OF DUST OR JUST A BUMP.

AND THE WHOLE BOTTLE
OF LIQUID WILL FLASH FREEZE

BEFORE YOUR EYES.

THE GAS BUBBLES THAT FORM FROM THE BUMP

GIVE THE SUPERCOOLED LIQUID A NUCLEUS

AROUND WHICH TO FREEZE.

THIS SMACKDOWN TRIGGERS A
TRANSITION FROM LIQUID TO SOLID.

IN THIS CASE, FROM WATER TO ICE.

SO IT WAS A SUPERCOOLED LIQUID.

WE JUST GAVE IT THAT EXTRA LITTLE PUSH

TO FREEZE NICE AND SOLID.

SO CAN YOU DO THIS WITH
ANY OTHER KIND OF LIQUID?

ABSOLUTELY WE CAN. SHOULD WE DO IT?

YEAH.

WATER TURNS FROM A
LIQUID TO A SOLID IN SECONDS.

LET'S SEE HOW WATER WITH
A HIGH SUGAR CONTENT FARES

UNDER THE SAME CONDITIONS.

ALL RIGHT. READY? THREE,
TWO, ONE, GO AHEAD.

-OH! -WHOA.

-OH, MY GOSH. -THERE IT GOES.

-THAT'S SO COOL. -THAT'S SO COOL.

Woman: SO I HAD THE BOTTLE IN MY HAND.

I JUST HIT IT ON THE TABLE, AND
IT FROZE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.

I DIDN'T THINK THAT WAS POSSIBLE.

IT WAS PRETTY EXCITING ACTUALLY.

IT'S LITERALLY COOL.

Delaney: LIQUID WATER CONTAINS
MORE ENERGY THAN FROZEN WATER.

SO AS WATER FREEZES, IT
RELEASES THE ENERGY AS HEAT.

DARREN'S THERMAL CAMERA SHOWS ORANGE

AND RED SIGNATURES AS THE LIQUID FREEZES.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

Woman: I'M WINNING. I'M WINNING.

Householder: I THINK YOU
WON. HIS IS DONE ALREADY.

LOOK AT THIS. HIS IS DONE.

-WHOSE IS DONE? -HIS.

-WHOSE? -THE PENGUIN.

WHAT PENGUIN? WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

Householder: THE PENGUIN IN THE ROOM.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

INSTA-FREEZING WORKS GREAT
WITH WATER IN A CLOSED CONTAINER,

BUT HOW ABOUT A MARTINI?

-THERE YOU GO. -WOW.

-OH, MY GOD. -TRIPPY, HUH?

-WOW. -OH, MY GOSH.

WOW. HOW COOL IS THAT?

IT'S SUPERCOOLED LIQUID,
BUT IT STILL NEEDS A TRIGGER

TO SET OFF THE CRYSTALLIZATION.

AN OLIVE WILL WORK JUST FINE.

WELL, ANYWAY, THANK Y'ALL VERY, VERY MUCH

FOR LETTING US HANG OUT

AND SHOW YOU THIS
INTERESTING LITTLE PHENOMENON

INVOLVING SUPERCOOLED LIQUIDS.

-WELL, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE. -THANK YOU.

NO QUESTION.

INSTA-FREEZING MAKES
A SUPER COOL BAR TRICK.

NOW WE'RE HEADING TO ANOTHER BAR

TO CREATE ANOTHER KIND OF ICE.

SO I HAVE A SPOON HERE WITH SOME CRYSTALS.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DUMP THE CRYSTAL'S IN,

AND WE'RE GOING TO WATCH WHAT HAPPENS.

ARE Y'ALL READY?

ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

Man: OH, LOOK AT THAT.

WOW. THAT'S REALLY COOL.

- IT'S PRETTY NEAT LOOKING.
- THAT'S PRETTY COOL.

YEAH. THAT'S AWESOME.

SO WHAT DID YOU SEE HAPPEN?

IT LOOKS LIKE IT FROZE.

SO THIS WAS ACTUALLY
ALL ONE KIND OF CHEMICAL

IN BOTH A CRYSTAL FORM
AND THEN A LIQUID FORM,

A SUPERSATURATED
SOLUTION OF SODIUM ACETATE.

SODIUM ACETATE IS A CHEMICAL
USED IN HAND WARMERS.

THIS SUPERSATURATED SOLUTION IS MADE

BY MIXING BAKING SODA AND
VINEGAR WITH WARM WATER.

AS IT COOLS, IT REMAINS A LIQUID,

BUT WHEN YOU SHAKE OR PRESS ON IT,

YOU FORCE A FEW MOLECULES
TO FLIP TO THE SOLID STATE.

THE REST OF THE LIQUID SOLIDIFIES AS WELL,

AND THE SOLIDIFYING LIQUID
JUMPS UP TO 130 DEGREES

FAHRENHEIT IN THE PROCESS.

SO AS SOON AS WE DROPPED THOSE CRYSTALS IN,

THE ENTIRE CRYSTALLIZATION HAPPENED,

AND OUR LIQUID BECAME A SOLID.

OH, WOW. IT'S, LIKE, WARM.

YEAH. IT'S WARM.

-I EXPECTED IT TO BE COLD. -YEAH, RIGHT.

CRYSTALLIZATION IS A CHEMICAL
REACTION THAT RELEASES HEAT.

SO IT'S NICE AND WARM,
WHICH IS WHY THEY USE IT

IN THOSE HEAT PACKS. -INDEED, INDEED.

IT'S EASIER TO SEE HOW
SUPERSATURATED SODIUM ACETATE

RAPIDLY CRYSTALLIZES ON A FLAT SURFACE.

NOTICE HOW THE CRYSTALS FORM
AND MERGE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

IT'S ACTUALLY SIMILAR TO
HOW ROCK CANDY IS MADE.

WOW, THAT'S REALLY COOL.

THANKS VERY MUCH, GUYS.

IT WAS GOOD HANGING OUT WITH YOU AND...

-THANKS FOR HAVING US. -HERE YOU GO.

-CHEERS. -NICE.

♪♪

Delaney: KEVIN KOHLER HASN'T GIVEN UP

ON INNOVATING WITH MOUSETRAPS.

WE'RE MEETING UP WITH HIM AT THE BAR

TO SEE WHAT ELSE HE'S COME UP WITH.

SO, KEVIN, YOU SAID YOU HAD ANOTHER IDEA.

YEAH. SO THIS WAS MY IDEA.

AND THAT RIGHT THERE IS
A MOUSE TRAP ON THE CAR.

THAT'S PRETTY INTERESTING.

SO WE CAN USE YOUR GIANT MOUSETRAP TO SCALE

THIS UP TO A RIDABLE VEHICLE.

YEAH. THAT'S THE PLAN, IS YOU USE THE BAR

THAT'S NORMALLY ON THE MOUSETRAP,

AND YOU TIE A STRING TO IT,

SO WHEN THE BAR PULLS THE STRING,

IT'S WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE,

WHICH SPINS THE WHEELS LIKE THAT.

SO WHEN IT'S FARTHER DOWN,
YOU DON'T GET AS MUCH AS POWER

AS WHEN IT'S ALL THE WAY UP LIKE THIS.

THIS IS WHEN THE SPEED STARTS TO HAPPEN.

Dyk: GOTCHA. THAT'S REALLY COOL.

WITH THE AMOUNT OF FORCE
IN THAT GIANT MOUSETRAP,

WE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ABLE
TO GET SOME DECENT SPEED, TOO.

-YEAH. -ALL RIGHT.

I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO
GO A PRETTY GOOD DISTANCE.

CAN YOU DO A WHEELIE?

IT DEPENDS.

I THINK I COULD DO A WHEELIE. -WE'LL TRY.

I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE OUR GOAL.

-YEAH. -OH, MY GOSH.

Delaney: KEVIN KOHLER'S GIANT I THINK
THAT NEEDS MOUSETRAP GENERATED

SOME SUPER SMASHING FORCE.

NOW HE'S RETROFITTED HIS TRAP WITH WHEELS.

KEVIN AIMS TO HARNESS
THE BAR'S POWER TO PROPEL,

NOT CRUSH.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH HAS ARRIVED.

TODAY, WE'RE TAKING IT TO THE STREET.

WE'VE GOT A CURIOUS CROWD
AND TWO CLOSED BLOCKS

IN THE BUSIEST PART OF TOWN

FOR KEVIN'S SELF-PROPELLED MOUSETRAP DERBY.

IT'S A CAR NOW. -YEP.

THAT'S EXCITING. SO WHAT DID Y'ALL DO?

WELL, WE PUT SOME BICYCLE TIRES ON IT,

MADE SOME MAKE-SHIFT
STEERING COLUMN UP HERE.

-ALL RIGHT. -AND PUT IT ON A BIG FRAME.

SO YOU THINK YOU'LL GET

A LITTLE BIT OF SPEED THERE, KEVIN?

I THINK SO.

WE'VE GOT 50% BIGGER SPRINGS

THAN LAST TIME TO REALLY
GET SOME GOOD POWER ON IT.

NICE.

SO WE CLOSED DOWN THE WHOLE STREET FOR YOU.

KEVIN WILL RUN ALONGSIDE OF YOU.

OKAY.

HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET SOME GOOD SHOTS,

BUT YOU HAVE NO TRAFFIC
TO COMPETE WITH RIGHT NOW.

LET'S DO IT.

Delaney: OUR SMALLER MOUSETRAP CAR

WENT ABOUT 1.5 MILES AN HOUR.

WE'RE HOPING THE SUPER-SIZED
VERSION CAN DO A LOT BETTER.

ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY.

ARE Y'ALL READY TO SEE A MOUSETRAP CAR?

WE DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE
HAS EVER DONE THIS BEFORE.

WE THINK KEVIN'S THE FIRST.

SO, KEVIN, ON THREE, TWO, ONE, MOUSETRAP!

Kohler: I FEEL IT.

IT'S MOVING.

SEE YA.

OH, MY GOSH.

IT'S GOING SO MUCH FASTER
THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD.

OH, WE'RE PICKING UP SOME SPEED.

THE WAY IT WORKS, THERE'S A TOW STRAP

WRAPPED AROUND THE REAR AXLE,

THAT WHEN WE TENSION THE MOUSETRAP,

PUTS ALL OF THAT ENERGY
INTO THAT REAR AXLE.

AS SOON AS WE LET THE PIN
GO, IT STARTS PULLING ON IT,

TRANSFERS ALL OF THAT POTENTIAL ENERGY

FROM THE STRING INTO
KINETIC ENERGY OF THE WHEELS

AND INTO THE MOTION OF THE MOUSETRAP.

IT'S GETTING TO LIGHT JOG SPEED.

OH, IT'S GOING TO SNAP DOWN.

THERE IT GOES. IT'S GOING TO CLOSE.

-WHOA. -AND THERE SHE GOES.

-WHOO! -YEAH!

ALL RIGHT. -WATCH OUT, WORLD.

HERE COMES KEVIN.

WE WERE WALKING UP, AND WE
NOTICED THE STREET WAS CLOSED,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE
MOUSETRAP CAR RAN PAST US.

IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD CLIP,

FASTER THAN I WOULD
HAVE WANTED, BEING ON IT.

Delaney: THE MOUSETRAP CAR

IS HITTING A HIGH SPEED
OF 6 MILES PER HOUR,

ALMOST AS FAST AS A MOUSE.

-YEAH. THIS IS GREAT. -YEAH, BUDDY.

NOT TOO BAD FOR JUST A MOUSETRAP.

Householder: THIS IS BRISK JOG SPEED.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN A LIGHT WALK.

MADE FOR SPEED, KEVIN.

MADE FOR SPEED.

THE HARDEST PART ABOUT THE BUILD

WAS TRYING TO GET THE STEERING RIGHT

BECAUSE WE MADE AN ACTUAL
RACK-AND-PINION STEERING SYSTEM.

UP! THERE GOES YOUR STEERING WHEEL.

IT'S OKAY. YOU DON'T NEED THAT, RIGHT?

I THINK I'M GOING TO HIT THE BARRIER.

LOOK AT THAT, HUH?

Dyk: AND IN THE LAST-SECOND STRETCH,

IS DARREN GOING TO BEAT HIM BACKWARDS?

LUCKILY, I STILL WENT STRAIGHT
ENOUGH RIGHT INTO THE BARRIER

THAT THEY HAD SET UP
AT THE END OF THE STREET.

WOO-HOO.

NICELY DONE.

-NICE ONE, DUDE. -THANKS.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WORKS.

THIS WAS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.

WHENEVER YOU SEE ANYTHING
THAT KEVIN SLAPS TOGETHER,

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING
TO FALL APART ANY SECOND,

BUT IT WORKS.

IT REALLY, REALLY WORKS.

WOO-HOO.

ALL RIGHT, KEVIN. YOU
WANTED A BETTER MOUSETRAP.

HOW DID WE DO?

WELL, IT'S CERTAINLY A BIGGER MOUSETRAP,

AND IT'S A CAR,

SO THAT'S A STEP IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION, I THINK.

YEP.

WELL, THERE'S THE OLD EXPRESSION,

"NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION."

I THINK YOU CHALLENGED
THAT EXPRESSION VERY WELL

BECAUSE THIS IS NOT
NECESSARY, BUT YOU INVENTED IT.

AND IT'S FANTASTIC. GOOD JOB, BUDDY.

THAT'S AWESOME. THANKS, KEVIN.

AND IT'S FANTASTIC. GOOD JOB, BUDDY.