Chemical Powered Racing Cars

[aliasgherman]

Me and one of my friend had done some experiments related to pyrochemistry sometimes ago. They were aimed at Rocket flights. Later it was told to us that we cannot construct a rocket model as it is illegal. Now we had a fair amount of Black Powder which we would have been unable to use for rocketery.

 

What we did was that we used small cars as a model. Attached a steel container containing the black powder. A resistor (for triggering the powder by passing very high current through it), 9V battery, and 555 timer circuit for 3 seconds delay before launch.

 

The container and the car body was separated by using some insulations between them and airgap as well.

 

Then the race began. (Both me and my friend made a car each with own design).

 

When 555 timer expired it connected the 9V terminal to the resistor making a flow of 500mA through it. The resistor went hot and after sometime triggered the feul. After that the car started to move.

On the other hand my friend's car started as soon the whistle was blown. (He had not used any delay timers). His car was pretty fast as compared to mine.

Within sometime my car also gained some speed, and my friend's car was almost on fire as the insulation between the container and car was not sufficient.

Near the finish line my friend's car was a total mess and fully blown up. My car on the other hand was experiencing bumps (due to small nosel of the container the powder was not burning efficiently).

Final Results

 

My friend's car reached the end line but was totally wasted. My car never make it to the finish as the container exploded due to a small nosel.

 

If you have reached here then you must be very patient reader The purpose of sharing this information is that we feel that a competition like this is really great fun. Any replies are welcome.

[rockschemist]

dude wat did u put in that black powder?

[insane_alien]

most vehicles on the road today are chemical powered. only the solar ones aren't.

[thedarkshade]

IA's got a point. Aren't gasoline powered cars actually chemical powered?

 

My favs are hybrid ones!

[DrDNA]

When I saw the topic, I thought it was about chemical engines, which I have an interest in, but it appears that it is about rocket powered toy cars.

 

EDIT: Not that there is anything wrong with rocket powered toy cars.

[Mr Skeptic]

Only electric cars that use capacitors instead of batteries and get their electricity from non-chemicals sources are not chemically powered.