Topic
What did we learn about for our capstone?
The forces of flight!
Forces
A push or pull that can make an object go, stop, or turn.
Aircraft
A manmade object that moves through the air.
Thrust is the opposite of lift.
False.
Thrust is the opposite of drag.
What provided our gliders with thrust?
The launch pad.
What did we build for our capstone?
Lift
A force that pushes an object up.
Balanced Forces
2 forces that are equal in size acting in different directions on an object
Gliders cannot generate thrust.
Gliders do not have a power source to provide thrust.
My glider keeps turning to the left. Which force is unbalanced and how can I fix it?
Weight.
Add more weight to the right or less weight to the left.
What was the second experiment we performed?
How far can paper airplanes fly?
or
How long can a paper airplane stay in the air?
Drag
Resistance that slows an object down.
Unbalanced Forces
2 forces that are not equal in size acting in opposite directions on an object.
Weight pushes objects up.
False.
Lift pushes objects up. Weight pulls objects down.
My glider doesn't fly very far and the nose of the glider tilts up. What forces are unbalanced?
Drag and thrust.
What problem did we try to solve?
How to bring supplies to people in need.
Weight
The force of gravity that pulls an object down.
Glider
An aircraft that moves without an engine.
A kite is an aircraft.
True.
It is manmade and moves through the air.
What gives an airplane lift?
Air flowing under the wings.
What was the first experiment we performed?
Balancing forces with a ruler.
Thrust
A force from a power source that pushes an object forward.
Fuselage
The body of a plane.
For an airplane to take off, all of the forces need to be balanced.
False.
If the forces were balanced it would not move.
Thrust needs to be higher than drag and lift needs to be higher than weight.
How could I increase drag on an aircraft?
Add a large surface for air to push against. (parachute, horizontal surfaces, etc.)