Fast Fact:
Modern Indy cars are designed to disintegrate in a collision, absorbing energy that would otherwise be transferred directly to the driver.
Objective:
The students will investigate different design strategies for keeping drivers safe in crash situations.
In the Film:
The possibility of a serious crash in car racing makes the sport a risky one. In the film you see a crash test. The purpose of the test is to evaluate the impact-absorbing qualities of an Indy car nose cone. You also see a roadster from 1964 being restored. During the roadster era, when a car crashed into a wall, its very rigid construction meant most of the force of the collision was transferred to the driver, resulting frequently in severe injury or death.
Background:
Safety standards are part of the PPG CART rule book. The carbon fiber chassis of a modern Indy car is designed to crumple on impact. In a head-on collision, for example, some of the energy that would have crushed the driver is used up destroying the nose cone instead. Energy- absorbing barriers are also used on some parts of the racetrack to improve safety.
Materials:
A Large toy car or truck, tape, candy-coated chocolates, bricks, a ramp, paper cups in the shape of a cone, a wooden board, empty pop cans, sand or fine gravel.
To Do:
Tape a couple of candies to the point of impact of the toy car. Place the car at the top of the ramp and the brick at the bottom. Roll the car into the brick and have the students note the effect on the candies. Now tape a paper cup to the car and place some candies on the cup. Repeat the test crash. Ask the students to notice the effect it has on the candies. Now place a number of empty pop cans upright in front of the brick at the bottom of the ramp. Tape new candies to the bumper. Roll the car down the ramp into the cans and brick. What is the effect on the candies? Repeat using a pile of sand in front of the brick.
Whats Going On?
In the first experiment much of the cars energy is used to smash the candies. In the second experiment the energy crumples the paper cup instead, and the candies are saved. In the third experiment some of the energy knocks the cans over instead of crushing the candies. In an Indy car, engineers make sure the forces are deflected to the car instead of the driver. The car crumples, but the driver is somewhat protected.
Taking It Further:
1. Have the students design their own bumper cover from paper and tape instead of a paper cone. Ask them to see if they can make it with less paper than is used in the cone.
2. Ask the students to explain why the front end of their parents car is designed to collapse on impact. They should base their answers on the concept of energy.
3. Have the students incorporate safety features into the designs of their race cars for another race event.
