9781422274743

CONNECTING STEM AND SPORTS STEM in Auto Racing STEM in Baseball & Softball STEM in Basketball STEM in Extreme Sports STEM in Football

STEM in Gymnastics STEM in Ice Hockey STEM in Soccer STEM in Track & Field

CONNECTING STEM AND SPORTS | AUTO RACING

STEM CONNECTING SPORTS AND

STEM IN AUTO RACING

JACQUELINE HAVELKA

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Copyright © 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4330-5 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4329-9 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7474-3

Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

Developed and Produced by National Highlights Inc. Editor: Andrew Luke Interior and cover design: Annalisa Gumbrecht, Studio Gumbrecht Production: Michelle Luke

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CHAPTER 1 SPEED .............................................................................9 CHAPTER 2 AERODYNAMICS ..........................................................17 CHAPTER 3 FRICTION ......................................................................27 CHAPTER 4 TURNING ......................................................................37 CHAPTER 5 CRASHES ......................................................................45 CHAPTER 6 SAFETY .........................................................................53 CHAPTER 7 TECHNOLOGY IN THE PITS .........................................65 Series Glossary of Key Terms..............................................................76 Further Reading & Internet Resources................................................77 Index...................................................................................................78 Author Biography & Credits................................................................80 TABLE OF CONTENTS

KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

Words To Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more!

Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

Series Glossary Of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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INTRODUCTION

Macaroni and cheese. Texting and emojis. STEM and sports. What? STEM—and sports? Yes! When one thinks about STEM classes and sports, they seem like opposites, right? You’re either in the classroom learning, or you’re on the playing field. But STEM and sports really do go together. STEM is education in four specific areas— science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Rather than being taught as separate subjects, STEM curriculum is integrated together for real-world learning. When a science class visits an amusement park, the students learn the principles of physics, use math to make calculations, and learn about the engineering and technology used to construct roller coasters and other rides. Auto racing is a thrilling spectator sport, but so many principles of physics happen behind the scenes—on the track, in the pits, and particularly in the car itself. Newton’s laws of physics definitely apply to auto racing. > Newton’s First Law: An object at rest stays at rest. In order to move, an external force must act on it. This defines the law of inertia. > Newton’s Second Law of Motion defines the famous F=ma equation. This law says that the force of an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. > Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There are many forms of professional auto racing. Formula 1 (F1) racing is perhaps the most famous, with custom-built cars and wheels located outside of the car’s body. The Monaco Grand Prix is probably the most famous Formula 1 race. In America, open- wheel racing comes in the form of IndyCar, which puts on the famous Indianapolis 500. Stock car racing is popular as well. The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, better known as NASCAR, is very popular in the United States with events like the Daytona 500. Then there is drag racing and hot rod racing, where opponents accelerate as fast as possible on a short track. There are still other forms of auto racing, such as rallying, off-road racing, and even production car racing. Regardless of the type of racing, drivers make some amazing gravity-defying moves, but you might be surprised to find out just how much science goes into race day. Let’s take a look at the STEM concepts in auto racing. We’ll explore concepts, like force, inertia, acceleration, and power—all important to the sport.

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KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

Words To Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will incr the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. WORDS TO UNDERSTAND Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving togeth additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing th with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! carburetor: a mechanical apparatus for premixing vaporized fuel and air in proper proportions and supplying the mixture to an internal combustion engine horsep wer: a unit of power equal in the United States to 746 watts and nearly equivalent to t English gravitational unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second piston: a sliding piece moved by or moving against fluid pressure that usually consists of a short cylindrical body fitting within a cylindrical chamber or vessel along which it moves back and forth Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for mo careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and a

CONNECTING STEM AND SPORTS | AUTO RACING Series Glossary Of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read an comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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1

CHAPTER

SPEED

Introduction Most likely, the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of auto racing is speed. In the sport, the driver, pit crew, and car design are all important; but the engine in particular may be the single most crucial component of a race. Why? The engine is key because it must create massive amounts of power for hours and hours without failing. Race engines in NASCAR, for instance, produce 750 or more horsepower , a term invented in the late 1700s by inventor and engineer James Watt, who is probably most famous for his improvements to steam engines. Watt also learned to convert horsepower into other measures, such as wattage (which is named for him), to show the power of light bulbs. Horsepower What is horsepower and how does it relate to engine performance? Watt worked with horses at a coalmine. The horses were harnessed and pulled ropes to lift buckets of coal out of the mine. Watt needed a way to quantify the lifting power provided by the horses. Watt collected data over many weeks and found that the average horse (1 horsepower) could raise 330 pounds out of the mine. The horse had to raise the bucket 100 feet and could do so in one minute.

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Therefore, one horse could produce 33,000

foot-pounds of work every minute. Horsepower is now a standard measurement for engine performance; you can use whatever combination of weight and distance you like as long as the product is 33,000 foot- pounds in one minute. In modern times, horsepower refers to engine power. Engines in race cars are much larger than those in street cars, which typically do not generate more than 300 horsepower. A NASCAR engine can be 5.87 liters compared to a regular engine of about 2.0 liters in an average car. Both

Scottish inventor James Watt came up with the concept of horsepower to measure the power of engines.

are internal combustion engines, meaning the fuel and air burn inside the engine to create the energy to move the pistons in the engine. When you hear the term “2.0-liter engine,” what does that really mean? As the piston moves, a certain amount of air is sucked in. That amount depends on the size of the cylinder and piston and the displacement (how far it moves) of the piston. If your car has a four-inch-diameter piston and it moves four inches up and down (the stroke), this means that one piston can suck in 823 cubic centimeters of air per stroke. If your car has four cylinders, multiply 823 by 4—that rounds up to a 3.3-liter engine. This means that turning the crankshaft of this particular engine, two complete revolutions for the four pistons would “inhale” 3.3 liters of air. This value is called engine displacement, and it indicates the maximum power that can be produced by the engine.

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How Engines Create Power Cars convert gasoline into motion by way of combustion, which takes place internally inside an engine. The physics are pretty straightforward: Put a tiny amount of high-energy fuel (gasoline) inside a small enclosed space, and ignite it to release an incredible amount of energy in the form of the expanding gas. The foundation of many engines is the engine block, which contains pistons that slide up and down. The pistons are housed inside cylinders. The more cylinders an engine has, the more powerful it is. A V6 or V8 engine refers to the configuration (V) and number (6 or 8) of cylinders. Race cars generally have V8 engines, meaning eight cylinders to house the powerful pistons. The engine also has a combustion chamber, and that is where air, fuel, pressure, and electricity come together to create the small explosion that moves the pistons up and down. That movement creates the power to move the car. NASCAR engines have larger intake valves that allow more air into the engine, particularly at higher

speeds. A device called a carburetor lets in large volumes of both fuel and air. However, NASCAR has several rules that limit speed. Pistons work like this: the intake valve opens, and the piston moves down, allowing the engine to take in a full cylinder of the air/gasoline mixture. The composition is mostly air because very little gasoline is needed. As the piston moves up, the air/fuel

A V8 engine typically has four cylinders on each side of the engine block.

mixture is compressed to create the powerful explosion that actually propels the car forward. The pistons move in a linear motion that is then converted into rotational motion, courtesy of the crankshaft.

CHAPTER 1 : SPEED

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Words To Understand: These words with their easy-to-understa the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows reader gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectiv Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our Q with additional educational content to supplement the text. Exa coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments,

Extra Credit A college racing team from California State University improved engine performance by 43 percent by redesigning an engine part using Carbon DLS 3-D printing techn logy. They replaced the old metal engine manifold with a new lighter carbon fiber manifold, so balance was better and speed was improved. The new material was very strong and flame resistant, too. Airflow was optimized. The team achieved its personal best at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) student design competition. Restrictor Plate Rule Since 1987, NASCAR has used restrictor plates at both the Daytona and Talladega tracks to reduce speeds after driver Bobby Allison’s car went airborne into the Talladega catch fencing after blowing a tire at 200 miles per hour (mph). A restrictor plate restricts the passage of air through the engine to reduce horsepower.

Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader ba careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further i chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage d

Series Glossary Of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary c used throughout this series. Words found here increase the read comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field. Words To Understand: Thes words with t the reader’s understanding of the text whil KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

Sidebars: This boxed material within the m gain insights, explore possibilities, and bro additional information to provide realistic a Educational Videos: Readers can view vid with additional educational content to sup coverage, moments in history, speeches, ic

See how a NASCAR engine is made.

Text-Dependent Questions: These questi careful attention to the evidence presente

Research Projects: Readers are pointed to chapter. Suggestions are provided for proj

Series Glossary Of Key Terms: This back- used throughout this series. Words found h comprehend higher-level books and article

12 CONNECTING STEM AND SPORTS | AUTO RACING

NASCAR allowed racing without restrictor plates at the Talladega Superspeedway in 2019. The plates had been required since a frightening crash took place in 1987.

In April 2019, at the Geico 500 event at Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR did not use engine restrictor plates for the first time in thirty-two years. Instead, the cars used larger spoilers and splitters to increase aerodynamic downforce to reduce speeds. The overall effect reduces horsepower and increases drag.

CHAPTER 1 : SPEED

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A typical NASCAR engine with a restrictor plate is about 410 horsepower, but without the plates, engines can reach 550 horsepower. The aerodynamic devices are engineered to offset the horsepower increase. Words To Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. KEY ICONS O LOOK FOR: Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! Words To Understand: These words with their easy-to-und rstand efinitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view vid os by sca ning our QR codes, providi g them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! T xt-Dependent Questions: 1. Name some of the differences between a NASCAR engine an a regul r automobil engine. 2. How did inventor James Watt originally measure horsepower? 3. How d es an ngine work to move the car forward? Research Project: Ask your parents about the fuel efficiency of the family Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Series Glossary Of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field. Text-D pendent Qu stions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. KEY ICONS TO LOOK FO :

Series Glossary Of Key Terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field. car. You may have a car that calculates how many miles per gallon your car can reach. Spend a few weeks tracking the fuel efficiency of the car. How does it compare to what the manufacturer claimed it would get? How is it affected by terrain or traffic conditions? Keep a log for thirty days and write your conclusions based on your results.

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Without restrictor plates, stock car engines can reach up to 550 horsepower.

CHAPTER 1 : SPEED

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KEY ICONS TO LOOK FOR:

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND Words To Understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will inc the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving togeth additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing t with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! aerodynamics: the qualities of an object that affect how e sily it is able to move through the air airfoil: a body (such as an airplane wing or pro ller blade) designed to provide a desired reaction force when in motion relative to the surrounding air turbulent: characterized by agitation or disturbance

Text-Dependent Questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for mo careful attention to the evidence presented there.

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Research Projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and a