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Lab Report 6 Dragster Forces

The document details an experiment conducted by Stephen Anderson, Danny Garduno, and Forrest Ibbotson to determine frictional forces, thrust, and drag for CO2 dragsters. They calculated the rolling friction to be 0.347N with a coefficient of 0.0209 and analyzed thrust using force vs. time data. The results indicated discrepancies in timing calculations, particularly at longer distances, suggesting a need for more accurate distance equations.

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3 views8 pages

Lab Report 6 Dragster Forces

The document details an experiment conducted by Stephen Anderson, Danny Garduno, and Forrest Ibbotson to determine frictional forces, thrust, and drag for CO2 dragsters. They calculated the rolling friction to be 0.347N with a coefficient of 0.0209 and analyzed thrust using force vs. time data. The results indicated discrepancies in timing calculations, particularly at longer distances, suggesting a need for more accurate distance equations.

Uploaded by

bobjonshwan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Date:3/6/25

Dragster Forces
Names: Stephen Anderson (blue), Danny Garduno (red), Forrest Ibbotson (purple)

Aim:
Determine values for frictional forces, thrust, and drag pertaining to our CO2 dragsters based on
experiments we designed.

Introduction:
Using a small CO2 dragster race car, and using the physics knowledge we have accumulated, we
will determine force values within the system.

Methods/Procedures:
Force #1 (Friction Forces):

Using a force probe and one of the cars, pull the car across the floor. Based on the force required
to pull the car, the mass, and acceleration of the car, we can determine the force rolling friction
exerts on the car, and thus the coefficient of rolling friction.

Force #2 (Thrust):

Using provided force vs. time data, we will use algebraic methods to determine velocity,
acceleration, and distance as a function of time.
We put the data onto a graph in Excel, one with and one without rolling friction, to find the line
of best fit so we can find the velocity and position of the car with integrals

Results:
Force #1 (Friction Forces):

Based on algebraic methods and measurements, we concluded the rolling friction on our
dragster to be 0.347N, and the coefficient of rolling friction to be 0.0209
After comparing these numbers with other people working in the lab, we determined these values
were corroborated and supported.

Coefficient of Friction

Rolling Friction Force

Freebody Diagram for Friction Force


Force #2 (Thrust):

From thrust force to position using integrals.


Freebody Diagram of Thrust

Force vs time graph


Force vs time graph without rolling friction
Calculations of velocity & distance from graph trendline equation (at top)
Calculation of our vehicle’s actual time using the distance equation we got from integrating
our acceleration equation twice.

First run Second run

This is the lab quest showing the time of each gate. We did two runs so we have two sets of
data. The “unblocked” are the distance we care about and their times.
Conclusion:
​ In the friction forces part of the lab, after taking measurements of approximate velocity
and acceleration of our dragster while monitoring it with the force probe, we were able to
calculate our rolling friction coefficient to be approximately .0209, and after comparing this
result with the other group at our table, it seemed acceptable. Rolling friction and its coefficient
are substantially smaller compared to kinetic friction and its coefficient, which we calculated as
part of lab 4 for a separate system. Using our newfound figures for friction, we were able to
modify the provided force data table to be more accurate to our dragster, giving us more accurate
figures for the thrust portion of the lab.
In the thrust portion of the lab when doing the calculations involving the integration of
the acceleration equation from Excel, we assumed “c” was a constant of zero. This can lead to
some errors in our calculations. We could have used Excel to do the integration for us but we
decided it would be simpler to just do it ourselves. When it comes to finding how fast the vehicle
goes after a bit of time you can use the time gathered from the time gate and how far it went to
calculate speed (distance/time). Our vehicle's actual times were 0.335 seconds at 0.5 meters,
1.242 seconds at 1 meter, and 6.081 seconds at 2.5 meters. Compared to our first run the time at
0.5 meters is somewhat close compared to the actual time, we got 0.335 and the actual figure is
0.03231 seconds. The time at 1 meter was also somewhat close with both the time at 0.5 meters
and 1 meter being about 0.3 seconds away from the actual result. Our calculation at 2.5 meters
was off by quite a bit, about a 5-second difference. I would say for the 0.5 meter and 1 meter
time we “got it right” just because of how close they were but that is my subjective opinion. I
think trying to get a more accurate distance equation could have gotten us closer to our actual
time values.

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