Thrust
What is thrust?
$100: Thrust is the force that moves an aircraft forward.
What is drag?
$100: Drag is the resistance force that opposes the motion of an object through a fluid (air or water).
What is lift?
$100: Lift is the force that directly opposes the weight of an aircraft and holds the aircraft in the air.
What is weight?
$100: Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object.
What pushes an object forward in flight?
$100: Thrust
Name one source of thrust in aircraft.
$200: One source of thrust in aircraft is the engines.
What factors affect drag on an object?
$200: Factors that affect drag on an object include shape, speed, and surface area.
What is the Bernoulli principle?
$200: The Bernoulli principle states that an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure.
How does weight affect a bird's ability to fly?
$200: Weight affects a bird's ability to fly by determining the amount of lift needed to overcome it.
I slow down a plane as it moves through the air, making it harder to fly. What am I?
$200: Drag
How does a rocket generate thrust?
$300: A rocket generates thrust by expelling gas out of its engines in the opposite direction.
How does streamlining reduce drag?
$300: Streamlining reduces drag by allowing air to flow more smoothly over an object, thus minimizing turbulence.
Explain how lift is generated on an airplane wing.
$300: Lift is generated on an airplane wing by the difference in air pressure on the top and bottom surfaces of the wing, created by the wing's shape and angle of attack.
What role does gravitational force play in weight?
$300: Gravitational force plays a role in weight by determining how heavy an object is based on its mass and the acceleration due to gravity.
I am the upward force that allows an airplane to take off. What am I?
$300: Lift
Compare thrust in living organisms vs. machines.
$400: Thrust in living organisms is generated through muscle contraction, while machines use engines or motors.
What type of drag is experienced by a parachute?
$400: A parachute experiences parasitic drag due to its large surface area and design that increases air resistance.
How do flapping wings generate lift?
$400: Flapping wings generate lift by changing the angle of attack and creating varying pressures above and below the wings during the flap cycle.
Discuss how weight affects a plane's takeoff distance.
$400: Weight affects a plane's takeoff distance by requiring more lift to be generated, which in turn requires a longer runway.
I am the force that pulls objects towards the ground, and I must be overcome for flight. What am I?
$400: Weight
Explain the relationship between thrust and acceleration.
$500: The relationship between thrust and acceleration is that greater thrust results in greater acceleration, according to Newton's second law of motion.
What is induced drag and how does it occur?
$500: Induced drag is the drag that occurs due to the generation of lift, and it increases with an increase in the angle of attack.
Describe how angle of attack influences lift.
$500: The angle of attack influences lift by affecting the airflow over the wing; an increase in angle increases lift to a certain point, after which stall occurs.
Analyze the balance between weight and lift in gliding.
$500: The balance between weight and lift in gliding is crucial; if weight exceeds lift, the glider will descend.
I am the science that explains how and why birds fly and how airplanes soar. What am I?
$500: Flight Dynamics