A pull-back motor car is one of the most common toys available on the market. We pull it backwards and then let it go. It travels across almost the entire room before stopping. We pull it back just a few inches, but the distance traveled by the car is 8-12 feet. Have you ever wondered how that happens? Well, today we will see how.
A pull-back toy works on the general principle of Newton’s Third Law of Motion: every action has equal and opposite reaction. The toy car moves forward much further than it was pulled backward. This is possible because there is a clockwork motor inside it. When the car is pulled back, it winds up an internal coil spring by engaging the motor with a clutch. When the car is released, the spring unwinds and propels the toy forward.
Energy is stored quickly during pullback but gets released slowly during forward motion. The winding of spring is fifteen times faster than when it unwinds. This is achieved with the help of two gear trains present in the tiny gear box inside the toy car. Once the spring has unwound and the car is moving, the motor is disengaged by the clutch and the car rolls freely onward, using the gathered momentum.
Here is a video for you to see and understand how the pull back toy motor works:
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