thermodynamics

MECH 292 – Dynamics

UW-Stout, Fall 2015

How to Drift a Race Car

(+5 points)

Have you ever watched a race car driver “drift” around a curve? It’s completely counterintuitive: as the rear wheels start to slide out, the driver turns the front wheels against the direction of the turn—not into it. Put simply, the increased friction from the front wheels allows the driver to control the swing of the car’s rear wheels, using the vehicle’s momentum to drift the car around the turn

Drifting as a feature of motorsports originated in Japan. While drifting was once an adrenaline-pumping hobby of enthusiasts, there are now races around the world entirely devoted to drifting. Even so, the most popular vehicles for drifting remain Japanese-manufactured sedans and coupes.

Assignment

For this bonus assignment, use your knowledge of dynamics to explain the physics of drifting. Your response must include a diagram that clearly shows how the race car is oriented as it drifts around a tight turn. In addition, for key locations in the curve, you must individually explain the current state of the vehicle (i.e., which type of friction are the rear vs. front wheels feeling?), and show all relevant calculations and equations for a representative vehicle (also consider why certain vehicles are used for drifting and not others, like monster trucks). Important concepts to keep track of in your response are friction, momentum, inertia, and power, among others.

Individual Submission

You must submit individual responses, but you are free to consult with each other as need be.