Steve:
The batteries are dead in my HP calculator, but I have another one at work. I believe you get your choice of chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin.

Pat

Thanks!

Oops, sorry, chocolate chip.

PS I'm taking a class this semester called aerodynamics. It's a pretty basic course that is actually part of a flight training program, but it sounded interesting to me. I've learned a lot of interesting stuff.

For instance, the question about driving in rain earlier. I believe Randy about rain making it worse to drive through, but.... I've learned that humid air is actually less dense than dry air because the water vapor is lighter than air and displaced air, so it's like being at a higher altitude or in hotter weather.

Porsche offered a turbo-bodied version of the Carrera in the late 80's. It had the running gear of the Carrera but the bodywork of the turbo. I don't know the cD difference between the two, but I do recall the top speed on the turbo-bodied version was supposedly 12mph lower then the standard Carrera body. Does anyone else remember reading this fact? I'll see if I can dig up my resource...

I hadn't heard what the difference was, but it is true that the turbo has a larger frontal area and possibly a worse Cd which makes it harder to go faster. That's why the Ruf Yellowbird used the regular Carrera body instead of the turbo body. If the flag mirrors reduce top speed by 5 mph, I can see how that fat booty from the turbo could do 12.

Steve - post any good diagrams from your lectures.

Enjoy the course.

CD * frontal area = drag force

(drag) force per second = HP


You cannot calculate max speed or drag force without knowing frontal area. A jumbo jet has lower CD than your car but much higher drag force.

Also, you cannot calculate max speed without knowing gearing either, unless you have CVT.

I can embellish this with actuall formulas later, but you get the point:

1 Watt = 1 Joule per second
1 Joule = 1 Newton per meter
1kW = 1000W = 1.36 HP

anyone still have this link?

Can you send me to it?

me too...