Testing the forces of Gravity Resistance Air What

What are Rotocopters? • Today, we’ll investigate gravity and air resistance using rotocopters. •

Building a Rotocopter • CUT along SOLID LINES only! • FOLD along DOTTED LINES.

Gravity & Air Resistance Question: How can we make a rotocopter fall faster? slower?

Changing your Rotocopter The rotocopter you built will be the “control”. You will test

Observations: 1) Describe your 3 modified rotocopters. 2) Drop the rotocopters from a height

Conclusions: 1) Which forces are acting on the rotocopter? (Draw a picture!) 2) How

Air Resistance Review • Some objects take longer to fall – they are slowed

Slides: 8

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Testing the forces of Gravity & Resistance Air

What are Rotocopters? • Today, we’ll investigate gravity and air resistance using rotocopters. • When you throw them in the air, these paper toys spin as the slowly float back down to earth.

Building a Rotocopter • CUT along SOLID LINES only! • FOLD along DOTTED LINES. Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

Gravity & Air Resistance Question: How can we make a rotocopter fall faster? slower? Hypothesis: I think I can make the rotocopter fall faster by ______. I think I can make the rotocopter fall slower by ____________. (Hint – you can’t change gravity – so which other force can you change to speed up or slow down the rotocopter? How could you change the force? )

Changing your Rotocopter The rotocopter you built will be the “control”. You will test 3 other modified rotocopters against the “control”. How can you modify your rotocopter? (which variable will you change? ) - change the size of the rotocopter - change the length or shape of the blades - punch holes in the blades - type of paper its made from - change the angle of the blades - other ideas? ? ?

Observations: 1) Describe your 3 modified rotocopters. 2) Drop the rotocopters from a height of 2 meters and note which one lands first. Repeat each trial 3 times. Trial Control vs. ____________ Control vs. ______ Which lands first?

Conclusions: 1) Which forces are acting on the rotocopter? (Draw a picture!) 2) How did you make the rotocopter fall faster? (How did you change the air resistance? ) 3) How did you make the rotocopter fall slower? (How did you change the air resistance? ) 4) Give 2 examples of when an engineer would need to consider gravity and air resistance when designing an object/vehicle?

Air Resistance Review • Some objects take longer to fall – they are slowed down by FRICTION with the air called AIR RESISTANCE. • The larger the surface area, the greater the force of air resistance pushing UP. • Without air resistance, all objects would fall at the same rate…