Humpty’s Wild Ride
Team Name: _____________
Team Members:
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___________________________
___________________________
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Humpty’s Wild Ride
A Study in Structure and Function
Background: Top Fuel dragsters are the fastest sanctioned category of drag racers, with the fastest
competitors reaching speeds of 330 miles per hour (530 km/h) and finishing the 1,000 foot (305 m) runs in
3.7 seconds. A top fuel dragster accelerates from a standstill to 100 miles per hour (160 km/h) in as little
as 0.8 seconds. This acceleration subjects the driver to an average force of about 39 m/s2 (4.0 g0) over the
duration of the race. Typical safety equipment for contemporary top fuel dragsters: full face helmets;
multi-point, quick release safety restraint harness; full body fire suit complete with face mask, gloves,
socks, shoes, and outer sock-like boots, all made of fire-resistant materials. Because of the G-forces
exerted on the driver, the helmet is linked into the safety harness via a chinstrap. For the same reason a
360-degree neck collar is also worn to protect from whiplash should a high-speed crash occur. Drivers are
secured in the cockpit with a five-point restraint system utilizing a safety harness with 3 inch wide lap and
shoulder belts which are covered with the fire resistant material. Arm restraints keep the arms inside the
cockpit in the event of a roll over. In order to improve driver safety, a canopy enclosed-cockpit design,
instead of the windscreen open-cockpit, is seriously being considered. This will reduce the risk of debris or even fire - getting into the cockpit.
Design Challenge/Goals: You are a passenger safety design engineer in the research and development
department of the GC-Pro Automotive Company. You have been assigned the task of designing the driver
compartment (cockpit) for the companies aerodynamically sound, stylish, and futuristic top fuel dragster.
Each dragster is constructed using identical design and craftsmanship, while the cockpit must meet safety
concerns and maintain the overall aerodynamics of the vehicle.
THE PROBLEM: Building a safe and secure dragster cockpit to protect a driver from whiplash during a
high-speed crash
Vocabulary Terms to be defined:
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Aerodynamics
Drag
Newton’s 1st Law
Newton’s 3rd Law
Potential Energy
Kinetic Energy
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Speed
Mass
Weight
Air resistance
Wheel alignment
Friction
Criteria/Constraints:
 The “driver” (egg) should remain completely intact after any collision
 Collisions will be head-on with a wall
 Only the materials provided will be allowed to be used
 Dragster needs to reach maximum speed. CO 2 cartridges cannot be altered
 Inappropriate racing behavior will result in automatic disqualification
 Redesigns can only take place in the pit area, safely away from the race track area
 Race trials may only take place down the designated track
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Once collision testing is complete, teams can race against each other
Dragsters must be connected to the launch apparatus and guide wire so that the CO2
cartridge is safely punctured
The cockpit design should reflect the research that has been done in regards to
aerodynamics
Speed calculations must be written in MPH and KPH
Production Procedure
NAMES:______________________________________________________
Step 1: Follow along with the video and construct the dragster. While your team is
waiting for parts to dry, start brainstorming ideas of cockpit design. (use a morph chart
to help your team) Make several possible thumbnail sketches – include any and all ideas
from each team member. (thumbnails are little, not much detail, quick sketches to
give you ideas)
(10 points – group grade)
Step 2: Look over the thumbnails and choose the best three (3) ideas. Sketch
these ideas a little larger, with more detail, and from three angles or views – top,
front, and side. Then, choose the best idea.
(10 points – group grade)
Step 3: Take the completed dragster and check the wheel alignment and spin as
instructed below:
Wheel Alignment:
If the wheel alignment of a dragster causes it to veer sideways, it will
create friction between the tires and the track and friction between the
string and the “screw eye”. Friction will cause the dragster to slow. We can
measure the wheel alignment of dragsters by rolling them down a short
ramp, and measuring how far it veers to the side on a one meter run.
WHEEL ALIGNMENT: #1: _____ #2: _____ #3: _____ Average: ____mm
Wheel spin:
If the wheels on a dragster are wobbly or if they stick, it will slow the
dragster down. To measure the wheel spin of a dragster, turn it over and
spin each wheel in turn with your finger. Time how long each wheel spins
using a stopwatch.
Front Wheels #1: _____ #2:_____ #3: _____ average _____
Rear Wheels #1: _____ #2:_____ #3: _____ average _____
(5 points – group grade)
Step 4: Design a method for attaching the cockpit to the frame. Keep the idea of
balance in mind so that the dragster does not tip over during trial runs. Then
attach the cockpit keeping in mind it must safely and securely protect the “driver”
(egg) (15 points – group grade)
Step 5: Determining MPH and KPH
A. Determining Miles Per Hour (MPH)
When given the race time of a car in seconds and the distance traveled,
follow the steps below to figure out a dragster’s MPH:
1. Write down your Elapsed Time (ET) in seconds ___________
2. Measure the length of the track in feet and divide that number by 5280
(number of feet in one mile) (this is the part of a mile the car
traveled __________
3. Divide the length of the track in miles (#2) (_____ miles) by your race
time (this is how many
miles per second your car traveled) ________
4. Multiply that number (miles per second) times 60 to get the miles per
minute ____________
5. Multiply that number (miles per minute) times 60 to get miles per hour.
MPH = _____________
B. Determining Kilometers Per Hour (KPH)
When given the race time of a car in seconds and the distance traveled,
follow the steps below to figure out a dragster’s KPH:
1. Write down your Elapsed Time (ET) in seconds _____________
2. Divide the length of the track (_____ meters) (3.3 feet = 1 meter) by
your race time (this is how many
meters per second your car traveled
_____________
3. Multiply that number (meters per second) times 60 to get the meters per
minute ___________
4. Multiply that number (meters per minute) times 60 to get meters per hour
_____________
5. Divide that number (meters per hour) by 1000 (the number of meters in a
Kilometer) to get kilometers per hour (KPH) _____________
(10 points – group grade)
Race Rules & Safety
With our dragsters finally complete, the time has come to test them. It is a known fact
that these drag cars will travel in the area of 120km/h and therefore safety is a serious
issue. To ensure a safe race there is a set of strict rules that everyone must abide by.
Rules
1.
No one walks across the track. The only person who is allowed to cross over the
track is the student who is racing on the far side. If you are caught crossing the
track for any other reason you will receive one warning. If you cross the track
again you will be disqualified from all future races.
2. CO2 cartridges will only be given out by the teacher, and only when a student is in
the staging area. (this is the area around the starting gate)
3. Each team will be only given two “drivers” (eggs). Test the safety concerns with the
first egg, modify your cockpit (redesign) and use the second egg to check your
modifications.
4. There will be no booing during trials. Cheering is allowed; however making another
student feel bad will not be tolerated.
5. Students must be in one of the student areas at all times. You are not permitted to
be anywhere else.
Student Area’s
The Pit: This is an area where you can make adjustments to your car prior to your race.
Adjustments include, repairing broken wheels, loose eye hooks, and other small tweaks. No
major changes may occur. This area is for tuning your car/cockpit, not redesigning it.
On-Deck: This is the area where the next 2 people in line to run a trial will prepare their
cars. They will receive their CO2 cartridges and drivers at this time. You will not be allowed
to make any adjustments at this time.
Spectator Area: This is the area where you may watch the trials. It is advised that you
sit near the finish gates as this is the best place to watch from. You must be aware that
cars do come off track, and although it is exciting, the cars are traveling at very high
speeds and serious danger exists. You cannot make adjustments to your car in this area.
The “other side”: This is the area that is out of bounds. It is across the track. It is
extremely dangerous to have people cross the track, and this is why the only person allowed
to cross the track is the person using that side of the track. If you are testing on the other
side, you must obtain permission before crossing the track.
Humpty’s Wild Ride – Analysis Questions
Each team member should answer these questions separately and on separate paper.
1. Give several examples of how mathematics was used during the design,
construction, redesign, or testing of your vehicle. (5 points)
Newton’s 1st Law: A body that is in motion continues in motion with the same
velocity (at speed and in a straight line), and a body at rest
continues at rest
unless an unbalanced force acts upon it.
Newton’s 3rd Law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction which
has the same force but is opposite in direction.
2. Explain how each of the above two Laws of Physics is important to your CO2
dragster (10 points)
3. What happens to kinetic energy when your car stops at the end of the track?
(5 points)
4. If there were no air or no gravity, what would happen to the car once it was
started? (5 points)
5. Write a two-paragraph rationale for why you redesigned the dragster to
accommodate the driver. Make sure to explain how the cockpit was attached to
the existing body of the dragster. Use crash test results to support your claim.
(25 points)
INDIVIDUAL GRADE __________/50 points
GROUP GRADE
__________/50 points
OVERALL GRADE
__________/ 100 points
(Extra Credit - +7 points if driver stayed “alive”
- +5 points for the fastest time