Do dimples on cars increase fuel economy?

Golf balls are covered in dimples because of one simple fact: the irregularities in the ball reduce wake, allowing the ball to travel farther. Predictably, Stewart found the MPG-Plus had no effect on the fuel efficiency of the Flex. …

Why do the Mythbusters think that having a dimpled car will get better gas mileage?

The theory is that, like a golf ball, the dimples would reduce the car’s drag through the air, thus allowing it to travel the same distance at the same speed using less fuel.

Do dimples on a golf ball help reduce drag and increase the distance the ball flies?

Dimpled golf balls travel further than smooth golf balls is because the dimples on a golf ball create turbulence in the boundary layer. This actually helps reduce drag and increase lift. The dimples actually scoop up air and move it back towards the rear of the ball as the ball spins.

Why don’t they put dimples on cars?

The dimples in a golf ball promote an earlier transition to turbulent flow and thus reduce the pressure drag of the golf ball, so it can fly further. In a car, the size is large enough to develop a turbulent boundary layer early on. Dimples would not help, but increase drag slightly.

How many dimples are on a golf ball?

Most golf balls have between 300 and 500 dimples, which have an average depth of about 0.010 inch. The lift and drag forces on a golf ball are very sensitive to dimple depth: a depth change of 0.001 inch can produce a radical change to the ball’s trajectory and the overall distance it can fly.

Why do golf balls have 336 dimples?

Dimples create the aerodynamic ability to hit golf balls for distance. A ball without dimples would not travel very far. The decision to experiment with dimples on golf balls grew out of the discovery that dented or chipped balls actually flew farther and straighter than smooth ones.

Why do dimpled golf balls fly further?

Dimples on a golf ball create a thin turbulent boundary layer of air that clings to the ball’s surface. This allows the smoothly flowing air to follow the ball’s surface a little farther around the back side of the ball, thereby decreasing the size of the wake.