Testing Aerodynamic Structures for Our Science Fair Project

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Recommended: Principles of aerodynamics

First, aerodynamics is the study of the motion of the air. Aerodynamics consists of 4 variables, which is thrust, gravity, lift, and drag. (Tennekes,H, 2009) Aerodynamics has to do with almost everything dealing with air of course.(Tennekes,H ,2009) For example, it can be air crafts, it can be wings, it can be birds, it can be a race car. Birds need aerodynamics so they can glide in the air so they can also gain enough speed to catch prey. Like a hawk swooping down 70 miles an hour to get a mouse to eat. Race cars need aerodynamics so that the car structure can have the most air resistance it wont apply as much pressure onto the car. Like birds air crafts also need aerodynamics for the wings on the aircraft or the weight of the aircraft. (Paper Airplane Aerodynamics,2013)

In the project for science fair, we will be dropping whirligigs to test, which have the most aerodynamic structure. We will be recording the weight of the paper clips we put onto the whirligig. We will use the app that tracts how the whirligig falls. Which is called “Vernier Video Physics”. Then when we have enough data we will try to make the perfect paper airplane. To get the perfect paper airplane we must have the correct weight, the correct thrust, and the correct aerodynamics of the whirligig, this is why our project mostly consists of aerodynamics.

The history of aerodynamics first comes from Leonardo Da Vinci he was a famous mathematician, he studied in aerodynamics and he also created two types of flying objects, one looked like a helicopter but instead it was powered by a turning wheel and the wings was just a spiral on top of the platform, and the other looked like a bird suit with wings that can flap up and down. (Phillips,Warren F, 2004) Th...

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...t. New York: McGraw-Hill.

How things fly. (2013). retrieved August 12 2013, from Nasa Web Site: http://howthingsfly.si.edu/aerodynamics

What is aerodynamics?. (2013). retrieved August 12 2013, from Nasa Web Site: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/k-4/stories/what-is-aerodynamics-k4.html

What makes paper airplanes fly?. (2013). retrieved August 12 2013, from Scholastic Web Site: http://teacher.scholastic.com/paperairplane/airplane.htm

Basic Aerodynamic. (2013). retrieved August 12 2013, from Paper Airplanes HQ Web Site: http://www.paperairplaneshq.com/basic-aerodynamics.html

Paper Airplane Aerodynamics. (2013). retrieved August 12 2013, from Buzzle Web Site: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/paper-airplanes-aerodynamics.html

Auld, D.J. & K.Srinivas Aerodynamics4students. (n.d) retrieved 8/31/13, from https://sites.google.com/site/aerodynamics4students/

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