Re: Sometimes physics is fun

[Gary Turner <turner@MORNINGSIDE.EDU>]

> My goal isn't to achieve maximum acceleration.  My goal is to beat
everyone
> else and show some creative physics, while maintaining some degree of
> safety.

On such a short track, it will likely come down to whoever can maximize
acceleration.

Can these things be "released" as part of the "start your engines".  If
so, look into the water rocket idea.  Accelerations are huge and will
easily outperform a chemical rocket over that sort of distance.
Flourescent light tube covers make good pressure vessels and can be
pressurized to quite high levels.  Water makes a much better propellant
than CO2; it can be accelerated to very high speeds by large pressure
differentials and carries a lot of momentum.

When I've done this with pop bottles, I've had rockets travel over 200m.
Video shows that the acceleration phase is over within about the first
meter (at least that's when the water stops coming out).  That makes the
acceleration on the order of 10^3 m/s^2