Can RC Car Clear a 20' Ramp at Racing Speed?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of an RC car clearing a 20-foot ramp at racing speed, focusing on the necessary speed for takeoff and the calculations involved. Participants explore the physics of the jump, including factors such as air resistance and ramp slope, while also expressing frustrations about measurement systems.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant estimates that the RC car would need to be traveling faster than 15 m/s (approximately 35 mph) at takeoff to clear the ramp.
  • Another participant notes that this estimate is rough and could be off by about 20%, suggesting that more accurate calculations would require additional time.
  • A participant inquires about the relationship between speed and the rough estimate provided, mentioning that Nitro RC cars can reach speeds of 50 mph on flat surfaces.
  • One participant describes two approximations made in their calculations: neglecting air resistance and the slope of the ramp, which could introduce errors in the estimate.
  • The formula used for the calculation is shared, indicating the distance to the landing zone, acceleration due to gravity, and height of the ramp.
  • Several participants express frustration with the British system of measurement, advocating for a universal adoption of the metric system.
  • There is a discussion about the challenges of transitioning to metric in the U.S., with some participants expressing skepticism about its feasibility.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the exact speed required for the RC car to clear the ramp, and there are multiple viewpoints regarding the impact of measurement systems on calculations and communication.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge limitations in their calculations, such as neglecting air resistance and the ramp's slope, which could affect the accuracy of the speed estimate.

InfiniteRC
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Hey guys, have a question for you that I cannot get passed while laying out a track idea for the October races.

The Elements:
RC length/weight = 16 inches/7-10 pounds
Total Track length = 44 feet (including ramp)
Total Ramp length/height = 20 feet/20 inches
End of Ramp to landing zone = 18-20 feet

The RC will round it's final turn, it is now faced with 44', where 24' are level, and the other 20' will graduate at 1" per foot to create the ramp. Can the RC clear an 18-20' distance, where it's landing is level, and how fast would it have to be going?

If you need any more info, I will try my best to provide it, thanks again!
 
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It will need to be going faster than 15 m/s or 35 miles/hr or 50 ft/sec at take off.

Disclaimer : This is a rough calculation, and may be off by about 20%. But it gives you a feasibility argument. If you really need a more accurate number, it will take longer to calculate that.
 
Thank you very much for the help. You mentioned it was a rough estimate, would it relate to the speed being slower of faster? These Nitro RC's can get to 50mph, but typically that is on the road.

If you needed me to measure and get exact measurments I will more than happy to do so.

Also, and I hate to ask, but is there a method you used to calculate the equation, I would love to be able to tweak other areas of the track if possible using the formula you used.
 
I made 2 approximations :

1) I neglected air resistance (I don't imagine this is more than a 10% effect)
2) I neglected the slope of the take off velocity=0.08 (this may cause a 10% -20% error too, in the opposite direction)

I expect the two errors to nearly cancel out...but it's possible that the second is greater than the first.

The formula (after making these approximations) is : speed, v = d* SQRT (g/2h)

where d : dist to landing zone = 18 '
g : accel. due to grav. = 32 ft/sec^2
h : height of ramp = 1.67 '

NOTE : The second approximation doesn't work if you increase the slope by much.
 
I hate the british system of measurement. Why can't we all use the metric system. ARGHHHHHH!
 
Thank you again for the help, and the method you used for this calculation.
 
Nenad said:
I hate the british system of measurement. Why can't we all use the metric system. ARGHHHHHH!

I actually did the calculation in SI units - that's what I prefer. But since the original post was written using units of feet and inches, I chose those units, for the aid of Infi.RC.
 
I don't understand, why can't we all be on the same page. Somebody should petition against the old british system and make the worldwide measurement scale the metric system.
 
Americans are never going to get used to liters and meters and grams - NIST has been trying, but IMO it ain't happening.
 
  • #10
Gokul43201 said:
Americans are never going to get used to liters and meters and grams - NIST has been trying, but IMO it ain't happening.

Liters are OK for Americans who drink soft drinks :-)
 
  • #11
The air industry doesn't help the metric system. Can you imagine a pilot confusing feet and meters?
 

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