To conduct the experiment, first, set up a team: one person will drop the whirlybird and the other will use the stopwatch. Ensure you drop the whirlybird from a consistent height, ideally from a second-story window or a high place, on a calm day.
- Drop the whirlybird and start the stopwatch immediately until it touches the ground. Record the time for "Trial 1" with no paper clips in Table 1.
- Perform two additional trials for the zero paper clip condition and note those times.
- Then, attach one paper clip to the whirlybird, and repeat the dropping process, recording your results in the appropriate row for "1" paper clip.
- Continue this process by adding two, three, and finally four paper clips, ensuring you conduct three trials for each amount and keep accurate records.
After collecting all the data, calculate the average fall time for each set of trials by summing the times and dividing by three. Record these averages in the data table.
Finally, create a line graph with the number of paper clips on the x-axis and fall time in seconds on the y-axis. Analyze your results: consider whether the whirlybird fell faster, slower, or at the same rate as more paper clips were added. Reflect on whether this outcome matched your expectations.