4 Forces
Name the 4 forces acting on objects.
Lift, Thrust, Gravity, Drag
What does a jet engine/propeller provide for the airplane?
What do birds use to fly?
Name one traditional tool used by Indigenous Peoples that travels through the air.
the bow and arrow
slingshot
fishing spear
Which force must be greater than drag for a plane to keep moving forward?
Thrust
Name a time the pilot WANTS drag
Landing
What body part helps birds steer in the air?
Tail
Which force must be strong enough to send an arrow flying through the air?
Thrust
If a paper airplane descends and slows down during flight, which two forces are affecting it the most?
Gravity and drag
True or False: Smaller airplane wings create more drag.
False
Name two birds that can't fly in the air
Penguin, Ostrich, Dodo, Emu
How does pulling back a slingshot or bow show knowledge of forces?
It stores energy that becomes thrust when released, launching the object forward
How does surface area affect drag on a flying object?
More surface area increases drag.
Who were the first people to fly a powered airplane?
Wright brothers
Tue or False: Birds wings can change shape to help them get lift and gain speed.
True
Why do tools like arrows or spears need a pointed or narrow shape?
To reduce drag and help them travel farther and straighter.
Describe how the four forces interact to keep a plane in at the same altitude and speed.
Lift equals gravity to stay up; thrust equals drag to keep speed steady
How does Bernoulli’s Principle help explain how airplane wings create lift?
Faster air over the curved top of the wing creates lower pressure, so higher pressure underneath pushes the wing up.
How are bird bones different from human bones to help them fly?
They are hollow and light-weight.
In some traditional arrow designs, there is fletching (feathers). What do the feathers do to the arrow?
Stabilizes the arrow’s flight and can help it glide slightly.