Re: Drafting in Bicycle Races

[Lois Breur Krause <krause@CLEMSON.EDU>]

OK, I'm gonna jump off a limb again, but wouldn't the second car reduce the
drag on the first car by mostly eliminating the turbulence at the rear of
the first car?
-lois

> The same effect helps in making TRAINS far more efficient than semi's!!!!
>
>
> At 9:13 AM -0500 9/15/99, Richard Tarara wrote:
> > An additional comment--not an answer.  From watching NASCAR racing and
> > listening to the commentary and observing the results, it would seem that
> > with the cars, that drafting helps BOTH cars.  The situation is often thus:
> > Car A is in the lead by 20 car-lengths, Car B is second but is not gaining.
> > Then Car C comes up and drafts Car B and they both catch up to Car A.
> >
> > I don't understand the physics of this either, but it must involve the
> > aerodynamics of the track and cars.  It does seem that drafting is more
> > important at some tracks (longer, faster--maybe) than others.
>
>   -.     .-.     .-.     .-.     .-.     .-.     .-.     .-.     .-.     .-
>     \   /   \   /   \ N /   \ C /   \ S /   \ S /   \ M /   \   /   \   /
>      `-'     `-'     `-'     `-'     `-'     `-'     `-'     `-'     `-'
> Chuck Britton                                   Education is what is left when
> britton@odie.ncssm.edu                          you have forgotten everything
> North Carolina School of Science & Math         you learned in school.
> (919) 286-3366  x224                            Albert Einstein,        1936

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Dr. Lois Breur Krause
Department of Geological Sciences
442 Brackett Hall
Clemson University
Clemson SC  29634

teaching chemistry, physics, astronomy and geology to elementary education
majors.

How We Learn and Why We Don't: Student Survival Guide,
available from International Thompson Publishing, ISBN 0324-011970

http://home.earthlink.net/~breurkrause

krause@clemson.edu

> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >