[tlb]

That's incorrect. Power consumption is proportional to drag * speed, and drag is speed^2, so power is speed^3, and energy per mile is speed^2.

[D_Alex]

Or: Work = Force * Distance, so the energy spent per mile will be proportional to drag force, which is proportional to speed^2.

Either way, its 21% increase in energy consumed per mile in this case.

[btilly]

Ah, shoot. You are right. Energy is force times distance, momentum is force times time. I was thinking about force times time.

wipes egg off of face

[carlob]

True but we're interested in power consumption per distance traveled so it goes back to O(v^2).

[sokoloff]

That’s precisely what the last clause you’re responding to says. You’re agreeing but couching it as a “but”.