Hi all. I've been building a set of free browser-based physics labs that use race cars as the hook, and I'd really value honest feedback before I take it further. The idea: instead of reading about friction or energy transfer, you change something and watch the car respond, then read the explanation at the level that suits you. What's there so far: A 3D wind tunnel: change the wings and ride height and watch the airflow, pressure and downforce update live. Tyre grip: find the fastest speed through a corner; a friction circle shows when the tyres give up. Suspension: springs and dampers over kerbs and potholes; comfort vs keeping the tyre on the road, plus resonance. Hybrid energy: harvest energy under braking and decide where to spend it around a lap. Pit strategy: tyre wear, pit stops and safety cars vs a rival, then compare with the optimal plan. Every topic has Basic / School / Advanced explanations, challenges, and printable worksheets. Teachers can make a class code to see which challenges students complete, using nicknames only and no accounts. It works on phones and offline.

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p/augmenta-labs

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1d ago

I built a race-car energy sim, and it disagreed with my intuition

While building the hybrid Energy lab in Augmenta Labs, I assumed the fastest way to use the battery was to dump it everywhere: full power, all lap.

The simulation said no.

Deploying at low speed mostly wastes energy, because the tyres can't put more power down coming out of slow corners. Deploying at very high speed wastes it too, because air resistance grows with speed squared and eats the extra push. The best lap time per unit of energy came from a window in the middle.

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Augmenta Labs

Learn physics with race cars, right in your browse

Learn physics with race cars, right in your browse

Forum Threads

I built a race-car energy sim, and it disagreed with my intuition

Forum Threads

I built a race-car energy sim, and it disagreed with my intuition