What are the 3 main factors that influence the speed of a CO2 dragster?
What are the 3 main factors that influence the speed of a CO2 dragster?
How CO2-powered Dragsters Work
- Mass: Obviously, this is how large and heavy the car is. Simply put, the less weight your dragster has, the faster it will go.
- Thrust: The gas escaping from the CO2 cartridge in the car.
- Friction: The second most important fact you’ll face.
- Drag: Here’s where aerodynamics come into play.
What determines the speed of a dragster?
Simply put, the less weight your dragster has, the faster it will go. This is the most important factor that will figure into your design. Keep it light! Thrust: The gas escaping from the CO2 cartridge in the car.
What makes a dragster aerodynamic?
As speed increases, the dragster is met with air resistance. Air resistance pushes against your dragster and prevents it from going as fast. The shape of the dragster body, the position of the wheels, and the finish on the dragster all help to determine the amount of aerodynamic drag.
How do you determine the speed of the CO2 dragster?
Using a Pitsco launch and timing system, test the dragster using an 8-gram CO2 cartridge and time it for a 20-meter distance. The average velocity is calculated using the formula velocity equals distance (meters) divided by time (seconds), or v = d/t.
How do you make a CO2 dragster more aerodynamic?
Three Things You Can Do to Reduce Drag in CO2 Cars
- Golf Balling. Covering the surface of your car with small, semi-circular pits (“golf balling”) does two things.
- Get Low. The bottom of your car experiences just as much drag as the top, so make sure to keep things smooth and straight all the way around.
- Sleek Over Small.
Which of Newton’s laws best applies to a CO2 car dragster?
Sir Isaac Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action (or force) there is an equal reaction (or opposing force) in the opposite direction. CO2 cars are propelled by carbon dioxide rapidly escaping from the cartridge. The cartridge is positioned in the car so that the escaping gas moves rearward.
How many g’s do you experience in a drag car?
In order to exceed 300 mph in 4.5 seconds, dragsters must accelerate at an average of more than 4 g’s. In order to reach 200 mph before half-distance, the launch acceleration approaches 8 g’s. A Top Fuel dragster reaches more than 300 mph before you have completed reading this sentence.
How can I make my CO2 car more aerodynamic?
Do spoilers improve handling?
Spoilers also help the airflow so that it creates downforce, particularly for the rear wheels. In simpler terms, that means the airflow presses the car down, allowing the tyres to get a much better grip on the road. Better grip means more traction, which improves speed and increases handling, especially around corners.