Conceptual Model
Identify The Problem:
Each student is to design and build the quickest and most aerodynamic CO2 dragster possible.
Generate Ideas:
Idea 1: Body nose shape: curved nose- good, flat nose- bad.
Idea 2: Body shape: Flat- good, tall- bad.
Idea 3: Body height: High off the ground- good, low to the ground- bad.
Idea 4: Body weight: Light- good, heavy- bad.
Idea 5: Wheels: Thin wheels- good, thick wheels- bad.
Idea 2: Body shape: Flat- good, tall- bad.
Idea 3: Body height: High off the ground- good, low to the ground- bad.
Idea 4: Body weight: Light- good, heavy- bad.
Idea 5: Wheels: Thin wheels- good, thick wheels- bad.
Constraints:
Criteria:
- I want it to have curved edges.
- I want it to be low to the ground.
- I want to use smaller wheels for less friction.
- I want it to have a longer body to make it faster.
- Make the car relatively small to decrease weight.
- I want it to be low to the ground.
- I want to use smaller wheels for less friction.
- I want it to have a longer body to make it faster.
- Make the car relatively small to decrease weight.
Research:
I typed in how to build a fast co2 car. I found that the ess weight your dragster has the faster it will go. It also told me that smaller wheels can eliminate friction.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/motorsports/co2-powered-dragster2.htm
I searched how does a co2 car work. I found how CO2 cars have been made better throughout many tests. Through this website I learned that many people tend to race these in and out of the classroom. They're powered my a CO2 cartridge in the back of the car that propels the cars forwards.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7630516_build-fastest-co2-car.html
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-racing/motorsports/co2-powered-dragster2.htm
I searched how does a co2 car work. I found how CO2 cars have been made better throughout many tests. Through this website I learned that many people tend to race these in and out of the classroom. They're powered my a CO2 cartridge in the back of the car that propels the cars forwards.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7630516_build-fastest-co2-car.html
Possible Solutions
Solution #1: A low to the ground CO2 dragster with a very curvy shape when it comes to the body of the dragster itself. It will include smaller than normal wheels on the bottom of the dragster. The body will be as short as possible, but it will still follow the constraints. The edges will be sanded to include the general smoothness that I want.
Solution #2: Make the front of the car rounded and have a circular nose so that it can be more aerodynamic. Make the body of the dragster quite long, but also as low to the ground as possible. It will include average sized, thin wheels to minimize friction, so that it will be able to go faster.
Solution #3: This CO2 dragster will be higher off the ground compared to the other and it will also be as big as I can possibly make it length wise. The wheels used to support the dragster will be the largest available due to the fact that they will carry more weight than the other two solutions.
Solution #2: Make the front of the car rounded and have a circular nose so that it can be more aerodynamic. Make the body of the dragster quite long, but also as low to the ground as possible. It will include average sized, thin wheels to minimize friction, so that it will be able to go faster.
Solution #3: This CO2 dragster will be higher off the ground compared to the other and it will also be as big as I can possibly make it length wise. The wheels used to support the dragster will be the largest available due to the fact that they will carry more weight than the other two solutions.
Idea Matrix
Summary
I chose to go with solution #2 because I find it's the most aerodynamic, therefore it will go the fastest. I believe with a low frame and long body the dragster will go faster and cut through the air with less effort. This model calls for thin wheels to decrease friction and a curved body for improved aerodynamics. To keep improving upon the aerodynamics, the nose of the dragster will be flat and curved. I expect while building the car that It'll be difficult to sand it to the paint where most of the body is curved, and so that it's not small enough that it breaks.
Graphical Model
Mathematical Model
The data marked with green text show honest cars, which are cars that obeyed the rules and had all the correct measurements. The cars in red are cheaters cars which are cars that broke the rules and either went over the desired measurements or went under.
I predicted Trice Pickens would win the cheaters bracket because his car's shape looked the most aerodynamic to me so I thought it would cut through air especially well. I also predicted Keshav would win the honest bracket because his car had a low weight and also had a rather aerodynamic shape.
I predicted Trice Pickens would win the cheaters bracket because his car's shape looked the most aerodynamic to me so I thought it would cut through air especially well. I also predicted Keshav would win the honest bracket because his car had a low weight and also had a rather aerodynamic shape.
Working Model
On the first day of making my car I created a template using a piece of paper with my car design traced onto it. Then I drilled axel holes and proceeded to sand down the top of my car. I used a sanding cylinder to carve out the sides of my car, and finally a square sanding block to make the nose point of my dragster.
The next step was to paint my car. I painted three coats of white as the base color for my car, then spend the next day adding the red stripes as detail.
On the final day I added the wheels and axels, then raced it. My car scored times of 0.735, 0.736, and 0.738 seconds.
The next step was to paint my car. I painted three coats of white as the base color for my car, then spend the next day adding the red stripes as detail.
On the final day I added the wheels and axels, then raced it. My car scored times of 0.735, 0.736, and 0.738 seconds.
Some things that changed from my graphical model to my working model included the paint job. I didn't stick with the original galaxy print that I wanted for my car, but instead chose a white base with red stripes. I also changed the sides of my car slightly by making the indent go all the way from the front to the back of the car instead of keeping it in the middle like my conceptual model shows. Next time I might have sanded an arch into the bottom of my car because I noticed most of the faster cars had this modification. Overall i'm very happy with the way my car turned out even though it wasn't the fastest.