Engineering & Design Dragster Engineering Concepts

Vocabulary Dragster: Two specially designed cars, that race side by side, down a ¼ mile track

Vocabulary Aerodynamics: The ability of air to move freely above, around, and beneath a moving object. Better the aerodynamics=faster the object will move Good Aerodynamics Poor Aerodynamics

Vocabulary Lubricants: Substance that is used to reduce friction which causes moving parts to move faster

Vocabulary Turbulence: Swirling around of air molecules

Vocabulary Contact Area: The total area that a dragster comes into contact with the wind

Vocabulary Force: The energy needed to move something

Vocabulary Friction: Is a force that holds back the movement of a sliding object

Vocabulary Mass: The space that an object occupies Is the cloud heavy or massive?

Vocabulary Frontal Area: The front part of the car that comes into contact with the air. Keep it small!

Vocabulary Boat tailing: As air moves past a curved object, it creates a pinching effect which pushes the dragster forward.

Vocabulary Surface Effect: Rougher the surface, the slower your dragster will go due to turbulence.

Vocabulary Wheelbase: The distance of the front axel to rear axel. Greater the distance the less turbulence your dragster will experience