1. Paper Airplane Experiments

2. Presentation Overview
Uses of paper airplane experiments
Types of experiments
Examples
Ball vs. airplane
Wind tunnel
Glide tests

3. Uses for Experiments Classroom Science Fair Projects
Visually explain principles of flight
Addresses many requires standards
National, State
Scientific Inquiry, motion & forces, properties & measurement
Science Fair Projects
Youth group (scouting…) activities
Team Building
Fun!!!!!

4. Types of Experiments Lift
Glide test – paper airplane vs. the paper ball
Wind tunnel – effect of wing area, airspeed, and wing angle
Drag
Drop test – paper parachute vs. paper ball
Effect of wingspan on drag
Glide tests to compare drag of different paper airplane designs
Stability
Effect of paper clip location on flight stability

5. Glide Test – Airplane vs. Ball
Principle demonstrated: Lift (force, test)
Procedure
Take 2 sheets of paper – make a paper plane and a paper ball
Give them a gentile toss straight forward, one in the right hand, one in the left
Results
The ball hits the ground first. Why? The paper airplane has wings which create lift to slow its fall to the ground.

6. Wind Tunnel – Air Flow
Principle demonstrated: Conservation of mass, pressure
Procedure: Construct wing tunnel, Use incense to show air flow into, through, and out of tunnel
Results: How does the wind tunnel work? Where does the air flow fastest, at the narrow or wide end of the tunnel?

7. Wind Tunnel Construction
Materials: 20” square box fan (Wal-Mart), four 22”x28” poster boards, two 36”x1/4” dowel rods, duct tape
Procedure: Cut out poster board sides, duct tape together, cut dowel rods into 14” lengths and tape around entrance, curl 2” narrow ends and tape for smooth airflow.
Balance: Wood yardstick and 2”x2” wood frame can make see-saw balance with letter scale.
Air flow can be measured with Radio Shack pocket wind gauge (I measured 10 mph).

8. Wind Tunnel – Lift
Principle demonstrated: Lift (force, test, measurement)
Hypothesis: Lift increases as a wing is angled nose up
Procedure: Measure vertical force – measure with wings set nose up at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 degrees
Results: Lift increases with angle of wing

9. Glide Test – Elevator
Principle demonstrated: Drag (force, test, measurement)
Hypothesis: The best glide distance is achieved with a particular elevator setting that sets the best glide wing angle
Procedure: Measure glide distance (angle) for increasing elevator settings
Results: Maximum glide distance is achieved at a particular elevator setting, reduced distance for less elevator angle, constant to reduced glide distance for more elevator angle

10. Glide Test – Span
Principle demonstrated: Drag (force, test, measurement)
Hypothesis: Drag decreases and glide distance increases with increasing wing span
Procedure: Measure steady glide distance. Make 3 or more paper airplanes of the same design, each with the wings folded out to a different span. Adjust elevator of each for best glide distance. Plot glide distance divided by initial height for each.
Results: Longer wingspan results in greater glide distance, therefore has reduced drag compared to shorter span.
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