The Physics of Racing

Introduction

The Physics of Racing webquest is a virtual field trip that explores the physical laws of motion behind racing.  Participants will investigate the application of forces, motion, momentum, and energy through examination of the fundamental physical laws that shape racing.  The analysis of speed, understanding force, energy and motion, and figuring out how safety applies to major superspeedways will be explored through inquiry based teaching techniques.  Because the racing industry consists of varying track classifications and forms of racing, this lesson will concentrate on the oval track superspeedway (track distance ≥ 2.0 miles) and examine the stock car model.

Two of the more famous oval track superspeedways in North America include the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana and the Daytona International Speedway in Florida.  The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, also referred to as “The Brickyard”, is the home of the Verizon IndyCar Series race “The Indy 500” and houses NASCAR series races as well.  The Daytona International Speedway also houses NASCAR series races including “The Daytona 500”, NASCAR’s most prestigious race.  These two race speedways and the vehicles that occupy them will be the focus of this lesson.

In this tour, students will initially take a ride around the Daytona track as they listen to the driver narrate about the many real-time factors considered when driving at excessively high speeds along straight-a-ways and corners.  They will participate in an interactive race track game where they will apply and demonstrate their conceptual understanding of race track physics, and they will research numerous virtual sites to learn about the scientific concepts and laws exploited by the racing industry. 

STANDARDS

The Next Generation Science Standards addressed are within the domain HS Forces and Interactions and encompass the disciplinary core concepts within PS2.A:  Forces and Motion, specifically HS-PS2-1, HS-PS2-2, and HS-PS2-3.  The engineering and mathematical practices utilized include:

  • Asking questions and defining problems
  • Developing and using models
  • Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Engaging in argument from evidence
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Task

http://michelinalley.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/physics.jpg

In the real world, we don’t feel every force acting on our bodies separately. We experience a sum-total of all of the forces in the varying directions they’re exerted, or the net force.  How do Newton’s Laws of motion apply to racing?  To understand this question it is necessary to understand the laws of motion.

Newton’s first law states that a body at rest remains at rest and that a body in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. This law means that once we start moving, we continue moving.  This law is also referred to as the law of inertia.  Inertia is the resistance to change in motion.  This concept is important to realize when taking corners.

Newton’s second law is immensely important to speed of a vehicle.  This law states that anything with mass, such as the car, with a net force acting on it will accelerate (F=ma).  This law is demonstrated in the frictional forces of the tires which grip the ground and propel the car forward.  The acceleration of the vehicle is related to the frictional force on the tires (as a result of the engine) and inversely proportional to the vehicle’s mass.

This tire example can also be used to demonstrate the idea behind Newton’s third law, which states that for every action (or force) there is an equal and opposite reaction (counter-force).  In the tire example, the frictional force of the tires is applied to the pavement.  The pavement, in turn, pushes back on the race car and propels it forward.

There are other ways in which Newton’s laws can be seen in racing.  Participants in this virtual tour will investigate the many application of forces, motion, and momentum, through examination of Newton’s fundamental motion laws that shape racing.  All that is required for the virtual tour is access to this webquest and your passport (a journal notebook for diagramming, recording data, and reflection).

Process

As you work through the exercises presented at each tour stop, record your answers to the reflection questions presented in your passport (notebook).

Tour Stop #1: A Lap Around Daytona International Speedway

Practices Addressed:

  • Asking questions and defining problems
  • Developing and using models

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAPyySWTmQE

  1. After hearing the audio of the driver, what factors do you think drivers need to consider when racing?
  2. Consider a race car traveling around an oval track.  What forces are acting on the vehicle on the straight-a-ways?  How about around the turns?  In your passport, create a force diagram of each event.

Tour Stop #2: Researching Forces in Racing

Practices Addressed:

  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Research the forces and other factors that impact the NASCAR race vehicle.  Use the provided resources.

Tour Stop #3: Practice in Racing

Practices Addressed:

  • Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Analyzing and interpreting data

Physics Interactive (Race Track) – Race a car around an oval race track and apply your understanding of inertia and forces. The objective is to stay on the track and use as few moves as possible.  Record in your notebook attempts, successes, and failures.  For successes, record how many moves it took.  What observations did you make regarding how to successfully navigate around the track in the least amount of moves?

Tour Stop #4: Racing is a “Drag”

Practices Addressed:

  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Watch the video NASCAR Physics:

  1. How do air molecules affect race car driving and drag?
  2. How do drivers reduce the effects of drag? Justify your reasoning.

Tour Stop #5: My Personal Design

Practices Addressed:

  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
  • Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Engaging in argument from evidence

The world's largest governing body for stock car racing is the American NASCAR, and its Sprint Cup Series is the premier top level series of professional stock car racing.  Stock car, in the original sense of the term, is an automobile that has not been modified from its original factory configuration. The definition for the term stock car has evolved to mean any production-based automobile used in racing.  Research the NASCAR design specifications using the resources listed below and determine what design factors contribute to car performance and speed.

  1. How do design factor and specifications support and/or impede driving at excessive speeds?
  2. Ignoring design rules and requirements, what changes would you make on the NASCAR car to make it an ideal race car?
  3. Pair and Share: In your opinion, what is the most critical factor in performance and in safety?  Justify your reasoning.

Evaluation

Students will receive 2 points for active participation and completion of the activities in the webquest.  Additionally, a four category weighted rubric will be applied to student activities.

 RUBRIC

Excellent

Comprehension

Moderate

Comprehension

Approaching

Comprehension

Insufficient

Comprehension

Quality of Research

9-10 Points

7-8 Points

5-6 Points

3-4 Points

Conceptual Understanding

9-10 Points

7-8 Points

5-6 Points

3-4 Points

Supported Justifications

9-10 Points

7-8 Points

5-6 Points

3-4 Points

Application of Concepts

9-10 Points

7-8 Points

5-6 Point

3-4 Points

Definitions for each category are listed below:

  • Excellent Comprehension – Research is extensive and thorough, support for arguments is accurate and convincing, explanations show excellent conceptual understanding, and application of new information is theoretically precise. 
  • Moderate Comprehension – Research is adequate, validity of arguments is moderately supported, explanations show sufficient conceptual understanding, and application of new information is theoretically correct.   
  • Approaching Comprehension.  Research lacking depth, arguments inconsistent, misconceptions prominent, and explanations show limited understanding of the big ideas
  • Insufficient Comprehension.  Shallow and insufficient application of research, arguments unsupported, explanations show minimal understanding of big ideas, and inability to correctly process and apply concepts.

Conclusion

Tour Stop #6: Final Thoughts

In auto racing, physics is everything.  The science dictates both the car and track design, racing strategy, and even tire selection.  During the course of a race, drivers have to contend with a variety of forces exerted on their vehicles and ultimately their bodies as they maneuver behind, beside and in front of other drivers.  Historically, teachers have incorporated classroom demonstrations and lab activities utilizing models of cars to explore force, motion, and energy.  A more engaging and effective way to explore these concepts through real-world phenomena using vehicles as a medium is raceway driving.  Watch this final video summarizing the physics behind racing.

NASCAR – The Laws of Motion (YouTube Video)

Credits

The following resources were utilized in creating this webquest:

Teacher Page

In addition to acting as a review of Newton’s three laws of motion andintroducing students to their application in auto racing, this webquest can be used as an assessment of student knowledge and mastery of the following standards and practices as addressed in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

STANDARDS

The NGSS standards addressed are within the domain HS Forces and Interactions and encompass the disciplinary core concepts within PS2.A:  Forces and Motion.  Students who have acquired mastery should demonstrate the following:

  • HS-PS2-1.  Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.
  • HS-PS2-2.  Use mathematical representations to support the claim that the total momentum of a system of objects is conserved when there is no net force on the system.
  • HS-PS2-3.  Apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that minimizes the force on a macroscopic object during a collision.

The NGSS Engineering and Mathematical Practices utilized throughout the activities in the webquest include:

  • Asking questions and defining problems
  • Developing and using models
  • Planning and carrying out investigations
  • Analyzing and interpreting data
  • Constructing explanations and designing solutions
  • Engaging in argument from evidence
  • Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information