Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics is the study how forces impacts objects moving in gases,

mainly air and how it affects the motion of these objects. There are four
forces which are present in aerodynamics. They are drag, lift, thrust and
weight.

My car design will try to lessen the effect of aerodynamics on the vehicle. I
will attempt to minimize the amount of area of the front of the vehicle,
make the air go over the car easier and all the while creating something
that is 'aerodynamically efficient'.

Drag
Drag is the resistance felt by an object as it moves through the air. Drags
attempts to slow down the object by pushing against in the direction
opposite the direction the car is travelling. The larger the surface, the
more effect drag has on it as there is more air resistance. A curved
surface is less perceptible to drag then a flat one.

It has a tremendous effect on the way a car accelerates, handles and how
it consumes fuel. For decades, cars have been designed so its
performance can be unhindered by drag. Car designers have built
improved the design and shape on the exterior of the vehicle so that air
flows around the car with as little resistance as possible.

My CO2 car will have many curved surfaces so it will reduce the amount of
drag and downforce created.

Rolling Resistance
The force that resists t motion when a body rolls on a surface is called the
rolling resistance Rolling resistance can eat up a lot of energy used by the
car from anywhere around 20% to 50%
Rolling resistance is caused by the tires reacting with the road. Car tires
are always bending and stretching as they have to work hampered by the
weight of your car and its passengers/belongings. This leads to a lot of
friction between car tires and the road surface.
Tires which reduce the amount of rolling resistance have thinner sidewalls,
shallower tread patterns and are made from special rubber compound that
makes them lighter and travel farther using momentum instead of pedal
power.

I dont think that it will affect my CI2 car and if it does, the results will be
to miniscule to notice as my car is travelling on an extremely short
distance.

F=MA
Newtons Second Law states that if an object is already moving then it
does not require any force to continue moving. This applies to cars except
that forces such as friction and air resistance hamper the movement of
the car.
Newtons Second Law (F=ma) infers that a larger force will create higher
acceleration. Also the lighter the mass of the car, the easier it is to
accelerate as there is less force needed.
F=ma affects everything such as my CO2 car but other forces will
inevitably slow my acceleration down. To combat this, maybe I should
make my car lighter so it takes less force for it to accelerate.

Wheel Alignment
Wheel alignment refers to an adjustment of a vehicles suspension which
is the system that connects a vehicle to the wheels. Proper alignment is
achieved by adjusting the angles of the tires which affects how they make
contact with the road.
Wheel alignment can help your tires perform properly and help them last
longer. It can also improve handling and keep your vehicle from pulling in
one direction or vibrating strangely on the road.
If the wheels of the car are not aligned, uneven pressure starts building on
the tires. This leads to increased resistance from the road and causes
uneven friction and tends to encounter much more resistance from the
road surface. This means that the car has to work harder to move forward
and more fuel is burned than normal. Improper wheel alignment may also
cause the car to not travel straight and veering to the sides.
When you align the wheels properly, there is much less resistance from
the road surface. This results in a smoother ride and less money spent on
fuel.
If my wheels on my car arent aligned properly, then this may cause more
friction to build up. This results in the car not performing as well and not
going as fast. The may also cause my CO2 not to travel in a perfect
straight line if the wheels are not at the right angle.