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How to Launch a CO2 Car

Holding a race with handmade carbon dioxide-powered race cars is a fun and exciting activity for almost any child. With the help of teachers, students design their car to have the best possible aerodynamics: Then they carve it out of wood. A carbon dioxide, or CO2, cartridge is secured in the car. After this, it's ready to race. CO2 cars are powered by the force emitted from the cartridge when it is punctured. This is done either by hand, or with help from a dragster launcher.

Things You'll Need

Sharp needle

Instructions

- 1
  Set up your CO2 car on the race track. If you're using an enclosed, pre-built track, with separate lanes, simply place your car in one of the lanes. If you are racing your car on the floor, select a flat, hard surface on which to race. Run a piece of fishing line through the eyelets on the underside of your car, then attach the ends of the line to the beginning and end of your racetrack. This keeps the car from veering off-course.
- 2
  Launch the car manually, if you do not have an automated launcher. Hold the car steady with one hand. Hold a needle in the other hand. When you are ready, push the needle into the car's CO2 cartridge to puncture it. This causes the car to launch.
- 3
  Launch the car with an automatic launch pod, if you have one. Insert the car into the launch pod in the manner specified by the product's manual. Generally, this involves sliding the car's CO2 cartridge end into one of the pod's port. When ready, hit the launch button on the pod. A needle inside the pod punctures the cartridge for you, and sends the car on its way.

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