Procedure
-
Materials Needed:
- Paper (e.g., lightweight printer paper)
- Scissors
- Ruler
- Pencil
- Weights (such as small washers or coins)
- Stopwatch or timer
- Tape (optional)
-
Creating the Whirlybird:
- Start by drawing a rectangular template on the paper, measuring about 10 cm wide and 20 cm long.
- Cut out the rectangle using scissors.
- Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise, then unfold it to create a crease.
- From both ends of the rectangle, cut down about 7 to 8 cm towards the crease to create two wings—this will leave you with two wings and a body.
- Fold the wings down along the creases created during the cutting process, making sure they are angled slightly downwards.
-
Adding Weights:
- Begin with the initial paper whirlybird design without any weights and drop it from a specific height (e.g., 2 meters).
- Use a stopwatch to time the descent until it touches the ground.
- Record the time taken for this drop.
-
Testing with Weights:
- Attach a small weight (e.g., a 5-gram washer) to the body of the whirlybird using tape.
- Drop the weighted whirlybird from the same height and record the descent time.
- Repeat this process by adding additional weights (e.g., 10 grams, 15 grams) to observe how the added mass affects the fall speed. Be sure to maintain the same drop height for each trial.
-
Repeating Trials:
- For each weight, conduct at least three drops to ensure accuracy.
- Calculate the average time for each weight configuration by summing the recorded times and dividing by the number of trials.
-
Analyzing Results:
- Compile all recorded times in a table format, comparing the descent times of the whirlybird with varying weights.
- Use a graph to visualize how the weight affects the descent time.
-
Conclusion:
- Reflect on the relationship between the weight placed on the whirlybird and its descent speed. Consider factors such as air resistance and how the design affects its flight.
1 answer