Expert: Adam - 9/1/2003

Question
Hello Adam,

What is G-force and how does it effect the car? What is the genuine nationality of  these companies Mercedes, ford, and  BMW etc. like Ferrari  comes from Italy, and Toyota is the Japanese technology.

Hope you will give me elaborate reply

Thanks you
Farhan nazir>>


Answer
HI Farhan,
BMW and Mercedes are both German companies, based in Munich. Ford is a US company, based in Detroit.

G-Force is gravitational force. I'm no physicist, but there is a difference between this and aerodynamic force.
G-F is important in terms of speeding up and slowing down, it's just a measure of acceleration and decleration. Pulling 1G means the effect of normal gravity (9.81m/s2). Pulling 2G means something has twice the force of gravity (= 19.6m/s2). It is primarily used in F1 to decribe the pressures on an F1 driver, especially under braking, acceleration or in crashes. For example, Ralph Firman's crash in his Jordan in practice at Hungary last week was measured at 47G! No wonder they stopped him from racing the next day!

More information at:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/newtlaws/u2l2b.html

Aerodyamic force I think I already explained to you previously. The movement of the car through the airstream generates the downforce effect, applying drag to the F1 car as it moves through the air, helping to stick it to the ground so facilitating quicker cornering.

Best wishes,
Adam