I think I understand that driving faster increases drag because there’s more air pushing against your vehicle, but why is the drag for that distance greater at higher speeds? If a car is driving slower but across the same distance, wouldn’t the total impulse created by the drag be the same as going faster because it’s delivered over a greater time, even though it’s a smaller force at any given moment?
In: 3
Your assuming a linear drag curve. However parasite drag increases exponentially with speed.
D = .5*rho*S*Cd*V^2
Rho = air density
S = surface area
Cd = drag coefficient based on surface shape
V = velocity
The important thing to note is velocity is squared. So if you double your speed you quadruple the drag.
Latest Answers