Almost everything on earth that moves is affected by turbulence, with the
exception of objects moving in a vacuum. In order to minimize or maximize
turbulent effects, and increase efficiency, scientists must first observe the
behavior of turbulence and drag through experimentation. This study of objects
moving through a liquid or gas is classified as fluid dynamics.
Fluid dynamics can be studied in two and three dimensions, using liquid or gas.
In this experiment, a moving soap film was used to examine turbulence in two
dimensions. Objects of various shapes were placed in the moving soap film and
the effects of the object on the soap's flow was observed. In three
dimensions, a cart with hemispheres, cones, and the hemispheres mounted to the
cones was released down a ramp and its velocity was monitored by an infrared
and ultrasonic detector interfaced with a computer program. By recording the
velocity of each design, the drag coefficient was determined. It could then be
seen which shapes created the least amount of turbulence as they moved through
the air. Observations in the soap film and calculations in the cart experiment
were compared and relationships between the two were drawn. The effects of
turbulence and drag were observed through experimentation in order to
understand which shapes produced a minimal amount of drag.