Wooden car desgin please helpp me!!!! URGENT DUE TMR?

Question

Hey, im 13 and in 8th grade and for tech we are two design a wooden car that is no longer than ten inches and no wider than 6 inches including tires.

The object is too go fast down a ramp side by side next to another car, go airborne and land. The first car to land wins.

What would make it win, and go fast and land abruptly. Thanks!!

Answer 1

make sure the axles of the wheels are well lubricated.
use wheels that grip well to the surface of the ramp.
make the car HEAVY.

edit: a very light car might cause it to slip against the board if the wheels or axle isnt constructed right, which would create more friction. no? also depending on the length of the ramp, a heavier car would negate any air resistance much better, based on the assumption that the car would have terrible aerodynamic design.

a big wheel would be better depending on its shape, if its just basically a big hoop, then a smaller wheel would be better. try to use something solid as the wheel, in other words something with a uniform density. a wooden cylinder with some rubber bands wrapped around it would work.

Answer 2

Seems like you want it to go as fast as possible, because the airborne / landing part should be about the same, regardless of design.

So design it with:

1. minimum weight to minimize friction due to normal force.
2. large diameter wheels to reduce friction at the hub (the axle will turn more slowly relative to the vehicle speed).
3. Three wheels instead of four - to reduce rolling friction by 25%

Good luck!


ADDED: It's a common misconception that additional weight will make the car go faster or land sooner. The acceleration due to gravity is constant - regardless of weight / mass. So what you want is light - to minimize friction. Lubrication is a good idea too. I would use graphite - works better than grease for this sort of thing.

Answer 3

humorous tale aside. that's available. yet can not be thoroughly wood. Even gas must be timber waste or logs, that's named timber fired steam engine. that's a changed diesel that burns gassified timber. **************************************... they have Sail Boats, working on wood wheels in Mohave desolate tract in CA, united states of america, and on the wast open Perry (perry Boat)sail must be seen wood engine (sail if cotton is likewise a timber product.. **************************************... Engine must be wood yet Ceramic coated and might run on known gas. So that's available to return up with one. it may no longer use any nails each component would properly be glued using glue, which will properly be a timber byproduct, tree sap.