Paper Airplane Experiments KEN BLACKBURN NCASE Atlanta, GA March 2004

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

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

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

Glide Test – Airplane vs. Ball l Principle demonstrated: Lift (force, test) l 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 l Results –The ball hits the ground first. Why? The paper airplane has wings which create lift to slow its fall to the ground.

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

Wind Tunnel Construction l Materials: 20” square box fan (Wal-Mart), four 22”x28” poster boards, two 36”x1/4” dowel rods, duct tape l 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. l Balance: Wood yardstick and 2”x2” wood frame can make see-saw balance with letter scale. l Air flow can be measured with Radio Shack pocket wind gauge (I measured 10 mph).

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

Glide Test – Elevator l Principle demonstrated: Drag (force, test, measurement) l Hypothesis: The best glide distance is achieved with a particular elevator setting that sets the best glide wing angle l Procedure: Measure glide distance (angle) for increasing elevator settings l 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

Glide Test – Span l Principle demonstrated: Drag (force, test, measurement) l Hypothesis: Drag decreases and glide distance increases with increasing wing span l 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. l Results: Longer wingspan results in greater glide distance, therefore has reduced drag compared to shorter span. SPAN 2” 4” 6” 8”

Internet Resources: l My educational information l Smithsonian Air & Space Museum l NASA GLENN Research Center