what works better, longer nose cones or shorter nose cones?

Question

ars22 · Answer

also, wider or skinnier?

shane_b · Answer

Long and skinny will be affected by drag the least. Take a look at any rocket and note its design.

ars22 · Answer

what about air resistance and friction? wouldn't it be short and skinny?

shane_b · Answer

Drag is essentially the opposing force of the air resistance. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_%28physics%29

ars22 · Answer

even for a car?

shane_b · Answer

Drag is drag...it's the force of a fluid (air) resistance opposing the motion of an object.

ars22 · Answer

thanks

shane_b · Answer

Take a look at how drag is calculated...you'll see why long and skinny provides the least amount of drag.

shane_b · Answer

To put it in simpler terms, drag is directly proportional to the area that's exposed to the fluid (air).  Long and skinny provides the smallest cross-sectional area to the opposing air resistance.