Re: Sometimes physics is fun

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

How about a change of state rocket.  e.g. pressurized liquid N2. or
cappuccino steamer.

BTW a CO2 blast will disable a following car just as well as a rocket.

J. Green wrote:

> > 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.
>
> Yes, we can "release" as part of the "start your engines".  I do like the
> water rocket idea except I have to compete with three other cars in the same
> heat.  Assuming this setup has the best acceleration out of the other cars,
> that means that the water spraying back would hit cars on the adjacent
> tracks.  This seems to be very difficult to overcome.  The co2 cartridge
> seems to be a very good solution, cheap, and easy to implement.  Model
> rocket motors have drawbacks all their own (I don't really want the
> possibility of being responsible for setting things on fire).  My worst case
> scenario with a co2 car:  Immediately after ignition, it jumps the track and
> veers off hitting an inattentive spectator 3 inches below his belt buckle.
> I can live with that.