CO2 Dragster
Encyclopedia
CO2 dragsters are miniature racing cars
which are rocket-powered by a carbon dioxide
cartridge, pierced to start the release of the gas, and which race on a typically 65 foot track. They are frequently used to demonstrate mechanical principles such as mass
, force
, acceleration
, or aerodynamics
. Two hooks (eyelets or screw eyes) linked to a string (usually monofilament
fishing line)at the bottom of the car prevent the vehicle from losing control during launch. In a race, a laser scanner records the speed of the car at the end of its run. Often, the dragster is carved out of balsa wood because of its light weight.
CO2 cars are a part of engineering curriculae in diverse parts of the world such as New Zealand and the United States. In the United States, classroom projects and competitions can operate under the aegis of the Technology Student Association
at middle school and high school levels. Competitions can be featured in local newspapers.. Students learn about the forces of gravity, drag
, wind resistance, and the motion of air as a fluid. The projects mainly test the aerodynamic, mass
and friction
properties of a car.
Racing Cars
Racing Cars are a Welsh pop band, formed in the Rhondda Valley, Wales in 1973.-Career:They were signed to one of the biggest British record labels of the time, Chrysalis Records. Racing Cars's debut album yielded their only hit single with "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"...
which are rocket-powered by a carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
cartridge, pierced to start the release of the gas, and which race on a typically 65 foot track. They are frequently used to demonstrate mechanical principles such as mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
, force
Force
In physics, a force is any influence that causes an object to undergo a change in speed, a change in direction, or a change in shape. In other words, a force is that which can cause an object with mass to change its velocity , i.e., to accelerate, or which can cause a flexible object to deform...
, acceleration
Acceleration
In physics, acceleration is the rate of change of velocity with time. In one dimension, acceleration is the rate at which something speeds up or slows down. However, since velocity is a vector, acceleration describes the rate of change of both the magnitude and the direction of velocity. ...
, or aerodynamics
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
. Two hooks (eyelets or screw eyes) linked to a string (usually monofilament
Monofilament
A monofilament may be:* Monofilament fishing line, a type of thread* A monofilament as used in a monofilament test in a neurological examination* Monomolecular wire, a fictional type of wire consisting of a single strand of molecules...
fishing line)at the bottom of the car prevent the vehicle from losing control during launch. In a race, a laser scanner records the speed of the car at the end of its run. Often, the dragster is carved out of balsa wood because of its light weight.
CO2 cars are a part of engineering curriculae in diverse parts of the world such as New Zealand and the United States. In the United States, classroom projects and competitions can operate under the aegis of the Technology Student Association
Technology Student Association
The Technology Student Association is an international Career and Technical Student Organization made up of over 150,000 Middle School and High School Technology Education Students. TSA is the premier CTSO dedicated to STEM Standards: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics...
at middle school and high school levels. Competitions can be featured in local newspapers.. Students learn about the forces of gravity, drag
Drag (physics)
In fluid dynamics, drag refers to forces which act on a solid object in the direction of the relative fluid flow velocity...
, wind resistance, and the motion of air as a fluid. The projects mainly test the aerodynamic, mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
and friction
Friction
Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...
properties of a car.