Co2 cars

Co2 Dragster Design Brief

You need to race down a track that is 20m long in less than 10 seconds.

What design features will you have to include to make your car the fastest, sleekest, most stylish dragster in Te Poutama?

Use the knowledge you have gained from our science investigations and your own research to write a design brief.

My car will have to be thickish and aerodynamic at the front then it will become really thin in the middle and at the back it will be slightly wider so that the cannister can fit in . It will be close to the ground and it will be the same height except for the cannister at the back. The base layer will be yellow and it will look like a pencil.

I want my car to look something like this.

You may work with a partner using Google Docs. Share with each other.

Remember to copy and rename the document .

Present your information using full sentences.

What helps a Formula 1 car to go fast?

Learning Intention: Use physics concepts such as forces, friction, air resistance, air pressure, and centre of gravity to explain how the following parts of a racing car  help it to go faster.

spoiler low to the ground

wide tyres streamlined shape

Use the following terms:  Forces, friction, air resistance, air pressure, centre of gravity

and explain how the following parts of a racing car can help it to go faster. You may have to complete some research to clarify your understanding.

Wide tyres:

Wide tyres produce better grip on the road at high speed. They also stop the car from rolling or skidding out of control when going at high speeds.  It cause more gravity pull to the ground when they are wider.

By Jaden

Streamlined shape:

Cars have a streamlined shape because it causes less drag and wind resistance. If the formula 1 cars were built like trucks, they would have a lot of drag and it would slow it down.

By Jaden

Spoilers:

Spoilers are used to keep the car on the ground. Without the spoiler on the formula 1 cars, they would lift up. The only other way to keep the car on the ground is to make the wheels out of a different compound or make the car heavier. That would not work around tight corners though.

By Jaden

Low to the ground:

The reason why dragster cars and formula 1 cars are low to the ground is because there is lower center of gravity, and with that the cars have more of a chance to go faster.

by Edward