What forces are acting on a paper helicopter?
The two forces acting on the paper helicopter are gravity and air pressure. Gravity pulls the helicopter towards the ground. The air pressure pushes up against the blades as it falls. When the air pushes upward on the slanted blade, some of that thrust becomes a sideways, or horizontal, push.
How does a helicopter differ from an airplane?
The primary difference between a helicopter and an airplane is the way that the mechanics are designed to generate lift. Helicopters use their rapidly spinning rotors to create the momentum required to lift the aircraft. These rotors can be adjusted to perform maneuvers such as turning or hovering.
What forces must be equal for a helicopter to hover?
The sum of the lift and thrust forces must equal the sum of the weight and drag forces in order for the helicopter to hover. During vertical flight in a no-wind condition, the lift and thrust forces both act vertically upward. Weight and drag both act vertically downward.
What is a Rotocopter?
A Rotocopter is a mini helicopter made from paper that spins when you drop it to the ground.
What makes a Rotocopter fall slower?
Example: After conducting research you decide that longer wings will make the rotocopter fall slower. Plan and conduct an experiment with roto-copters that have wings of different lengths. Remember: Do not change anything except the wing length in each design. All other factors remain constant.
How do you slow down a paper helicopter?
In this position, the air under one blade is pushing one way and the air under the other blade is pushing the opposite way. These two forces of air push the blades around and make it spin. The faster the blades spin, the less the air can get by, and the slower the helicopter falls.
How do you make a whirlybird fall slower?
Flipping the wings causes them to spin in the opposite direction. The longer the wings, the slower the drop because of the uplift on the greater wing area. The more paperclips, the fast the drop and spin, because of the greater weight.
What effect does weight have on the flight time of a paper helicopter?
More paperclips means more weight! The heavier your helicopter is, the faster it will drop to the floor and as the forces of air act on it, it will spin even quicker!
What is the science behind a paper helicopter?
As the paper models fall they will spin, imitating the rotation of the rotor blades of a helicopter. Because there is no thrust to produce upward movement, the helicopter will not fly upward, but the spin will reduce the rate of fall by producing lift, resisting the force of gravity.
Does propeller shape affect a paper helicopter speed?
In this science experiment, kids make paper helicopters and explore the principles of flight. Simple explanation: Wind speed and wing shape affect how a helicopter flies. The only way helicopters and airplanes can fly is if the upward force of lift is greater than the downward force of gravity.
What factors affect the flight time of a paper helicopter?
Test factors that influence the flight time are: paper type, rotor length, leg length, leg w levels are varied by using two different types and adding or removing a paper clip.
DOEs the length of rotors affect the flight time of a paper helicopter?
The main effects plot shows we have longer flight times with the paper clip off, and longer rotor length. The interaction plot shows the interactions between the factors. This interaction tells us about these two factors. With heavy paper, leg length DOEs not matter much.
What effect DOEs rotor length have on paper helicopters flight time?
The mean average times of descent were calculated for each wing length. There is a clear trend where the greater the wingspan of the helicopter blades, the greater the fall time of the helicopter. This means that as I reduced the wingspan of the helicopter blades, the helicopter fell quicker.
Why do sycamore seeds spin through the air?
Why do sycamore seeds spin? When the helicopter shaped seed falls the air pushes upwards against it. Air also pushes sideways on the arms of the helicopter shaped spinning seed. The two arms get pushed in opposite directions, which makes the seed spin.
What do helicopter seeds turn into?
Once your kids are done tossing the helicopter seeds into the air, save a few of them and grow your own small nursery bed filled with maple tree seedlings. You can avoid the whims of nature and give the seeds an ideal beginning environment, ensuring they get a strong start in life.
Are sycamore seeds poisonous to humans?
The sycamore tree (Acer Pseudoplatanus) contains a toxin (poison) in its seeds, seedlings and leaves which when ingested, can cause a muscle disease called Atypical Myopathy (AM).
Do sycamore trees produce helicopters?
Which trees have helicopter seeds? Many trees produce winged seeds, but there are only three helicopter-type seeds you are likely to encounter on your nature walks. They are field maple, Norway maple and sycamore.
Why are sycamore trees bad?
Though they grow big and showy, landscapers don’t use them because they can have a lot of tree diseases. Homeowners don’t like them because they shed piles of maple-like leaves and disrupt underground lines. Woodworkers don’t care for the wood because it tends to hold water and twist when it dries.