How Things Fly : Internet Lab

Worksheet by E.S. Belasic - click here for Printer Friendly PDF version

Read all directions on the screen and this handout carefully.  You will see this tool bar:

Click on "Air is Stuff"

1. How is air similar to water?

2. How is air different than water?

Click on "4 forces"

1. Name the 4 forces :

        a.

        b.

        c.

        d.

Click on the word "Lift" in blue

1. What is lift?

2. Click on "4 forces"

3. What does weight do?

4. What force "pulls' objects to the ground? (9.8m/s2)

5. Click on "4 forces"

6. What is thrust?

7. Click on "4 forces"

8. What is drag?

9. What force is drag similar to?

Click on the words "Wind Tunnel" in blue

You will see various wing shapes. Test each wing shape in the wind tunnel.

1. Cylinder : Does this design work? Why/Why not?

2. Teardrop : Does this design work? Why/Why not?

3. Cambered : Does this design work? Why/Why not?

4. Tilted cambered : Does this design work? Why/Why not?

5. Steeply tilted : Does this design work? Why/Why not?

6. What type wing design worked the best?: Explain using the terms lift and drag :

Click on "How it Works"

Balloon Test, Wind Tunnel & Simulation

Click on Balloon Test and read directions carefully !

1. Which of the three caused the balloon to sink? Why ?(use the term density in your answer)

2. Which of the three caused the balloon to float? Why ?(use the term density in your answer)

Simulation

1. What does the pitch do?

2. What does the yaw do?

3. What is the roll?

4. If you were a pilot, why would it be important to control these 3 factors?