In this project, you'll learn why airplane wings look the way they do and how they make planes fly! If you need help, do this experiment with an older friend, your parents or your teacher.
A piece of paper
A ruler
Tape
Scissors
A notebook or piece of paper
First, cut a piece of paper in half lengthwise like this. You'll only need one half for this experiment.
Take half the paper and fold it in half like this. Tape the edges shut on each end.
Next, tape the paper so that the long edges don't line up by about one inch, like this.
Put the ruler inside the wing like in the picture, so that the edge of the ruler is along the curved part of the wing and the widest part of the wing is on top.
Now hold the ruler and paper like this and blow hard on the fold.
What happened
when you blew on the fold?
What did you think would happen?
Was it
the same? Why do you think the paper moved the way it did?
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED???
When a plane
takes off, the movement creates wind around the wings, just like wind you
feel when riding your bike.
Airplane wings are curved like the
paper in the experiment. When the plane moves forward, the wind moves
around the wing in a special way, creating a force called LIFT. This is
what made the back of the paper wing lift up. LIFT is what makes the
airplane go up as it goes forward, and it keeps the plane in the air while
it moves!
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