Forces of Flight
What are the four main forces that act on an aircraft or rocket?
(Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag)
What helps a payload land more safely by slowing it down?
(Parachute)
What two points should have the Center of Mass in front of?
What force slows objects moving through the air
Drag
Which rocket part helps reduce air resistance at the front?
Which force opposes gravity?
Lift
More drag causes a payload to descend ________.
Which rocket part helps keep the rocket stable during flight?
Fins
Which nose cone shape generally has the least drag?
Pointed
Which rocket component provides the thrust?
Engine/Motor
Which force pushes a rocket forward?
Thrust
Besides parachutes, what structure absorbs impact during landing?
Crumple zone
Why is it important for the Center of Mass to be ahead of the Center of Pressure?
For stability during flight
Air behaves like what type of substance?
Fluid
What system protects the payload after flight?
Recovery system
Which classroom activity demonstrated thrust using escaping air?
Balloon Rockets
Why can't spacecraft simply fall back to Earth without a recovery system?
They would hit the ground too fast
Changing what feature of the fins affects rotation and stability?
Fin angle
What type of airflow is smoother: laminar or turbulent?
Laminar
Name two essential structural parts of a rocket besides the engine.
nose cone, body tube, fins
Explain how lift, drag, thrust, and weight work together during flight.
(Thrust moves the rocket forward, lift counters weight when applicable, drag resists motion, and weight pulls downward.)
Why do engineers intentionally increase drag during payload recovery?
To reduce landing speed and protect the payload.
Explain why engineers test different fin sizes and shapes.
To optimize stability and flight performance
How do wind tunnels help engineers improve rocket designs?
(They visualize airflow, identify drag, and allow design optimization before flight.)
Describe the function of the nose cone, body tube, fins, engine, and recovery system.
Respectively: reduce drag, hold components, provide stability, generate thrust, ensure safe landing