[ODE] [off-topic] Modelling aerodynamics

[Nate W]

On Sun, 8 Dec 2002, Thomas Harte wrote:

> I ask these questions here because a lot of clever physics people seem
> to read this list, and I can't find a more specific
> alt.clever.physicians or whatever.

Physicians?  That's where medical people hang out.  They won't know what
you're talking about.

> [...] make downward force a function of velocity and a very simple
> function of orientation (probably just a dot product between the
> direction a car would normally consider to be forwards and the
> direction in which it is travelling)

How about projecting the car's velocity vector along a vector that points
in the car's local "forward" direction?  

> Are these practical ideas? What do other people do?

I just turned down the friction so the car will slide rather than roll.

-- 

Nate Waddoups
Redmond WA USA
http://www.natew.com