Four Forces
What force pulls an airplane towards the Earth?
Weight (Gravity)
Which main airplane part helps produce lift?
Wings
What is lift?
The aerodynamic force that acts roughly perpendicular to oncoming airflow.
What is propulsion?
The process of producing a force that moves an object forward.
What is the purpose of testing a paper airplane?
To gather evidence about how the design flies.
What force pushes an aircraft forward?
Thrust
What is the main body of an airplane called?
Fuselage
What is an airfoil?
A shape designed to create useful aerodynamic forces, such as a wing cross-section.
What is thrust?
The forward force produced by a propulsion system.
What does CER stand for?
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning.
What force acts opposite the airplane’s forward motion?
Drag
What part of an airplane produces the thrust needed to move it forward?
Engine (or propeller)
In a simplified Bernoulli explanation, what happens to pressure where airflow is faster?
The pressure is lower.
Name one aircraft propulsion system.
Propeller engine, jet engine, or rocket.
What is one design change that could affect paper airplane flight?
Wing width, fold symmetry, nose shape, wing angle, or added mass.
What force acts upward to oppose weight?
Lift
Why are flaps extended during takeoff and landing?
To increase lift at lower speeds.
In a simplified Bernoulli explanation, what happens to pressure where airflow is slower?
The pressure is higher
What is the basic action-reaction idea behind rocket thrust?
Exhaust is expelled backward and the rocket is pushed forward.
A plane veers left each flight. What is one reasonable first design check?
Check that both wings are folded evenly/symmetrically.
During straight, level flight at constant speed, how do lift/weight and thrust/drag compare?
Lift equals weight, and thrust equals drag
What is the purpose of the horizontal stabilizer on an airplane?
To help keep the airplane stable and balanced in pitch (nose up and down).
How might increasing angle of attack affect lift if the wing does not stall?
It usually increases lift up to a point; too much angle can cause a stall.
Why can rockets operate in space but airplane propellers cannot provide the same thrust there?
Rockets carry propellant and expel mass; propellers need surrounding air.
Give a CER response for a paper airplane that flew straighter after its wings were adjusted.
Claim: adjustment improved straight flight. Evidence: observed before/after paths. Reasoning: more symmetrical wings can balance aerodynamic forces.