The expression for the force due to air drag described in Chapter 3 (Eq. 3.20) ignores the aerodynamic shape of an object. Some objects, such as a race car, are shaped so as to minimize the drag force. This can be accounted for by adding a factor called the drag coefficient CD. The drag force then has a magnitude
Fdrag = 1/2CDρAv2
A boxy car might have a drag coefficient CD ≈ 1.0, whereas a race car might have CD 0.25. If all else is the same (the power produced by the engine, etc.) and there is no other source of friction or drag, what is the ratio of the race car’s top speed to the boxy car’s top speed?
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