Reardan-Edwall High School, Reardan
Down with Drag : Vehicular Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is the study of what occurs when a fluid strikes a solid moving object. The objective of this study is to modify current car models to decrease the effects of drag on the motion of a vehicle in order to improve fuel efficiency. Improved fuel efficiency will aid in the conservation of current fossil fuel supplies while better technologies are created and made ready for public use. The tests the car models will be subjected to are: a power-off and coast test and a fluid tunnel test. The power-off and coast test will be used to demonstrate the efficiency of the vehicles’ aerodynamics under load by placing the vehicle on a ramp held at an approximate 22 degrees and then letting the vehicle coast to a stop. The fluid tunnel test will be used to identify areas in need of modification (drag).
“You are setting the pace — the dynamic — for a better and brighter future.”
—Elson S. Floyd, Ph.D.
President, Washington State University