Forces of Flight
Define the force of Lift
The upward motion of flight
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According to Bernoulli's Principle, does fast-moving air create high pressure or low pressure?
Low pressure
Does air have mass?
Yes it is made up of molecules meaning mass
Birds have many physical adaptations that help them overcome gravity and fly. Name one specific adaptation birds have for flight.
Hallow Bones to allow for flight
Which force pulls an object toward the earth?
Weight/Gravity
Describe the specific shape of an airfoil (the shape of an airplane wing). Why is it shaped this way?
The wing is shaped this way to allow wings to achieve flight. Fast moving air above the wing and slow moving air below the wing creates lift with differene in air pressure.
What is the scientific term for air taking up space?
Volume
Unlike airplanes with fixed wings, insects like bees must move their wings constantly. How do insects like bees create the lift necessary to stay in the air?
Use of their thorax and wing angles and a figure 8 motion
Which force is created by the engine or propeller to move an aircraft forward?
Thrust
Describe the specific shape of an airfoil (the shape of an airplane wing). Why is it shaped this way?
Shape is engineered to create pressure difference above and below the wing.
Explain why air pressure is lower at the top of a mountain than at sea level.
There are fewer air molecules above you pressing down, and the air is less dense.
Compare the wing shape and flight style of a soaring bird (like an eagle) to a fast-flapping bird (like a hummingbird). How does their wing design match their needs?
Smaller birds a have smaller wings, so need more force to fly. Eagles wings flap less due to their size
Explain how Drag affects a plane's speed.
Drag affects a plane's speed by slowing down the air resistance. The plane will slow down when the drag is more than the thrust. It will speed up if the drag is less than the thrust.
If you hang two balloons side-by-side and blow air directly between them, what happens to the air pressure between the balloons? Do they move apart or together?
They will move together because the air pressures descreases due to faster moving air being blown between the balloons
Can air be compressed? Explain the experiement we used to show compressed air.
Water bottle experiment. Air that has been forced into a smaller space, increasing its pressure.
Flight requires a massive amount of energy, which creates heat or requires warmth. What is the biological purpose of 'panting' or 'shivering' for birds during flight?
to help with thermoregulation
Describe the state of the four forces when a plane is in level flight at a constant speed.
Drag and Thurst are in equal balance to maintain speed
Lift and Weight are in equal balance to maintain height in the sky
Identify one real-world example of Bernoulli's Principle in action other than an airplane wing. Explain how air pressure is involved in your example.
A bats wing
A shower curtain bulging in when air is warm from the shower
Describe an experiment that proves air has mass
Meter Stick and Plastic Bag
While the wings provide lift and thrust, the tail is essential for control. Explain how a bird uses its tail feathers to navigate during flight.
Control system like a Rudder that moves right and left.