Windy 500 Design Notes

Layout of the Race

500 cm 400 cm 300 cm 200 cm 100 cm

Requirements for a Fast Car

• Design a sail for your car that will:

1. Catch the most wind possible.

2. Be aerodynamic- reduce the amount of air resistance working against the forward motion of your car

3. Travel in a fairly straight line so that you stay in the path of the wind blowing from the fans.

4. Be fairly balanced so the car does not tip over

Catching Wind vs. Aerodynamic

• The design for catching the most wind is the opposite of a design to be the most aerodynamic.

• Catching wind requires a very large flat sail

• Aerodynamic requires a very low streamlined sail so that air can flow over it

Catching Wind vs. Aerodynamic (continued)

• You have to combine these two requirements so that it will both catch wind and be aerodynamic

• Go more towards catching the wind because that is the force that pushes your car forward but also keep in mind that air resistance will slow it down as it travels. How can you reduce this?

Traveling straight and Keeping Your Car Balanced

• Your car must travel straight to keep in the path of the wind.

• The sail must be balanced so that it is catching wind evenly on the left and right side of the car.

• If it catches wind more on the left it will veer toward the right and so on.

• Look at your car from the rear and make sure the sail catches wind evenly.

My First Idea and Sketch