Abstract

The objective of this project was to study turbulence. This was accomplished in two dimensions by placing various shapes in a moving soap film. In three dimensions, carts of different design were sent down a ramp in order to determine their drag coefficients. Observations from the two dimensional experiment were combined with the qualitative analysis of the three dimensional experiment in order to establish some general conclusions about the correlation between structure shape and drag. Both experiments indicated that shapes with round frontal regions are more aerodynamically sound than pointed or flat frontal regions and that lengthening objects tends to lessen drag.