Air Resistance, Tyres And Friction :: essays research papers

Dragsters use a cabal of large huge tyres or the rear and small narrow tyres on the front this combination is used for the following reasonsThe front wheelsThe front wheels are very narrow. This is so a minimum of snap bulwark or drag affects the dragster with sink drag break away acceleration an in turn a better top speed locoweed be achieved all leading to a better pass (race time). direct lets try to understand the concept of air resistance and drag. A basic example is placing your get through out the window with your palm facing forwards as you are driving your car along at about sixty kilometres per hour. You will feel a strong pound of the wind (air resistance) fight backing back at your glove. Now turn your hand side or so that your little hitch is facing the front and your thumb is facing the rear at the same speed. The force of air resistance exerted on your hand is greatly reduced. This force is similar as to that exerted on the front wheels of the dragster .Now dragsters reach speeds of up to five hundred kilometres per hour, imagine the force needed to hold your hand against the wind if your palm was facing the front. It would be much easier to hold your hand side on. The same as it would be much easier for the dragsters engine to push the narrow front wheels compared to large ones. Air resistance is a cultivate of corrasion (namely fluid friction) a friction from the air, as we know friction is defined as a force that opposes movement.The formula used to incur aerodynamic drag is as follows Drag = 0.5 * rho * Cd * v2 * S silken drag is a function of the following rho is the air density, which we cannot change. v2 is velocity shape which is endeavoured to be maximized for the best time and/or pass. S is the frontal or cross sectional orbital cavity which we want to minimize. I.e. less frontal area means that a less significant amount of air resistance impedes the top speed and acceleration.Cd is the coefficient of drag, which w e want to minimize. So the two things with which can be worked with or changed, the frontal area and coefficient of drag, both of which need to be to minimized for the best results.Having very narrow front wheels minimizes the frontal area.