The Science of a Race Car: Reactions in Action(Action Science)

Squeal! The race is on, and expert drivers make it look easy to speed around the track. But without science, they'd be left in the dust. Come take a closer look at the science that makes a race car run.

About the Author :
Heather E. Schwartz writes books for kids from her home in upstate New York. She loves writing because she loves learning new things, brainstorming creative ideas, and moving words around on a page. In her spare time, she runs a website for young writers (WriteintheMiddle.co). She also enjoys baking cookies in fun shapes, throwing holiday parties, walking in the woods, eating cider donuts, and spending time with her family.

Review :
On your mark, get set, and go!" This 32-page book describing race cars and how they work is bound to accelerate the interest of readers of all ages. The introduction relates race cars to science and asks readers to imagine what it's like to be in the cockpit. The science of acceleration, friction, inertia, the movement of pistons, the firing of fuel, and horsepower are explained in very basic terms. Real-life vignettes of drivers and investigations of crashes they survived are included. The text takes readers to the track where a description of the forces and their effects on the cars are clearly illustrated. Simple "See for Yourself" activities will help students understand physical science concepts like inertia, air pressure, and the relation between surface area and drag. A vivid description and photos of loss of traction explain how an object in motion tends to stay in motion. The reason cars heat up and the manner in which they catch on fire are also depicted in this chapter. Readers will appreciate the role and expertise of pit crews. Skilled drivers must make decisions and use the physics of motion to win races. Students are bound to have a greater respect for the difficulty of driving these cars and the importance of physics after reading this book. It ends with racing facts, an explanation of how other sciences relate to racing, a glossary, a reading list, a list of internet sites, and an index. This is an ideal supplement to a unit on force and motion. It could be read and understood by students in grades 3 and above; it could also be used for reluctant readers and ELL students who are older, since the content would interest older students even more than younger ones. NSTA Recommends Eloise Farmer, science consultant Yes Good On your mark, get set, and go!" This 32-page book describing race cars and how they work is bound to accelerate the interest of readers of all ages. The introduction relates race cars to science and asks readers to imagine what it's like to be in the cockpit. The science of acceleration, friction, inertia, the movement of pistons, the firing of fuel, and horsepower are explained in very basic terms. Real-life vignettes of drivers and investigations of crashes they survived are included. The text takes readers to the track where a description of the forces and their effects on the cars are clearly illustrated. Simple "See for Yourself" activities will help students understand physical science concepts like inertia, air pressure, and the relation between surface area and drag. A vivid description and photos of loss of traction explain how an object in motion tends to stay in motion. The reason cars heat up and the manner in which they catch on fire are also depicted in this chapter. Readers will appreciate the role and expertise of pit crews. Skilled drivers must make decisions and use the physics of motion to win races. Students are bound to have a greater respect for the difficulty of driving these cars and the importance of physics after reading this book. It ends with racing facts, an explanation of how other sciences relate to racing, a glossary, a reading list, a list of internet sites, and an index. This is an ideal supplement to a unit on force and motion. It could be read and understood by students in grades 3 and above; it could also be used for reluctant readers and ELL students who are older, since the content would interest older students even more than younger ones.