The Parachute Drop

What is Air Resistance? Air resistance is the force exerted by air against an object moving through it and acts in the opposite direction of the object’s motion. Air resistance is the force exerted by air against an object moving through it and acts in the opposite direction of the object’s motion. Example: an object falling through the air experiences and upward force of air resistance. Example: an object falling through the air experiences and upward force of air resistance.

Activity Material Needed: Wooden Balls, Ping Pong Balls, paper, parachute sheets, scissors, stopwatch, tape measure, kite string, tape Material Needed: Wooden Balls, Ping Pong Balls, paper, parachute sheets, scissors, stopwatch, tape measure, kite string, tape Begin Step 1 on activity sheet only!!!!! Begin Step 1 on activity sheet only!!!!!

Step 1 What Happened in Step 1? What Happened in Step 1? Why did the two different papers fall at different speeds? Why did the two different papers fall at different speeds?

Step 1 The flat paper fell more slowly than the crumpled paper because the flat paper had more surface area. The crumpled paper experienced less air resistance than the flat paper. The flat paper fell more slowly than the crumpled paper because the flat paper had more surface area. The crumpled paper experienced less air resistance than the flat paper.

Complete Step 2 Goal of step 2 is to create a parachute that slows the wooden ball the most. Goal of step 2 is to create a parachute that slows the wooden ball the most. Use only one of the plastic sheets and one piece of string. Use only one of the plastic sheets and one piece of string. Once you have a good parachute, record falling time for the wooden ball with the parachute and without the parachute. Once you have a good parachute, record falling time for the wooden ball with the parachute and without the parachute.

Step 3 Predict whether the parachute will slow the wooden ball more or the ping pong ball more. Predict whether the parachute will slow the wooden ball more or the ping pong ball more. Remember: make your second parachute identical in design to the first one. Remember: make your second parachute identical in design to the first one.

Activity Conclusion: You should have discovered that a wide parachute pushes against more air than a ball does. You should have discovered that a wide parachute pushes against more air than a ball does. Greater air resistance slows the parachute and the attached ball more than the falling ball without the parachute. Greater air resistance slows the parachute and the attached ball more than the falling ball without the parachute.

Air Resistance and Cars Air Resistance also affects the design of cars. Air Resistance also affects the design of cars. As cars move forward, they must push air away. A car design that minimizes air resistance is described as aerodynamic. As cars move forward, they must push air away. A car design that minimizes air resistance is described as aerodynamic.