Can You Simplify Calculating Drag Coefficient for an Inverted Cone?

[fizzyfiz]

Summary: Hello, I have a task to calculate the air drag coeficient experimentally. I have a cone which I had dropped from height of 1.5 m and measured the time. Then I derived the equation of of velocity and acceleration but they are very complicated. Is there any simpler method?

a=g-k/m*V^2

 

[BvU]

Is the cone solid, made of lead ? Please be a little complete ...

 

[jrmichler]

A cone made from a rolled up and taped piece of paper could reach its terminal velocity in 1.5 m, so you should be able to get a good measurement of drag coefficient. On the other hand, a cone made of wood or metal would be almost unaffected by air drag in that distance, so it would be almost impossible to measure drag coefficient.

A simple method would be to drop the cone from a height high enough that it reaches terminal velocity. Then measure the size, weight, and velocity, and calculate the drag coefficient directly from the drag equation. Velocity can be measured using a video camera with a ruler in the background.

 

[fizzyfiz]

Ok so I should mark heights and I will know that cone reached its terminal velocity if the same distance will be traveled in equal times?

 

[BvU]

Hollow paper it is. Tape light enough ? Ratio height/diameter ? Tip up or down ? Stabilized ?
As

Please be a little complete ...

reached its terminal velocity if the same distance will be traveled in equal times?

Yep. Maybe use a video.

 

[fizzyfiz]

It is a cone made of paper, tip down, 80g/m^2 . I caculated mass

 

[BvU]

Hollow paper it is. Tape light enough ? Ratio height/diameter ? Tip up or down ? Stabilized ?

Hollow paper

, tip down

. One by one they come out. I keep on dragging for the others ...

Can you calculate a terminal velocity for an inverted cone ?