CO2 Dragster Design

Overview

Students will use WhiteBox Learning to design their dragsters. The program is web-based so it can be accessed anywhere with an internet connection. Students will follow the engineering design process to create the fastest dragster possible while meeting the specifications. First students will conduct research that will allow them to make a better design. Next, they will design their car. Whether or not the vehicle meets the specifications can be checked at any point during the design phase. Once the car meets the specifications, it can be tested in a virtual race. All four middle schools in Frederick County can race against each other. Once the car has been raced, students can go back and make revisions. This process is repeated until the optimal design has been reached. After the class has completed the design phase, technical drawings will be printed, and the class will move to the production lab to make and test the cars. Cars are raced along a 66-foot track. Depending on the weight limit for the year (which comes from TSA specifications), the dragsters can hit speeds over 70 mph! WhiteBox Learning Link

Resources are available for students starting the project or having difficulties getting cars in spec under "Tutorials".