Parachute Science Projects
Parachutes are a good way to learn about physics and aerodynamics.
They are also fairly easy to make with the right materials. The materials
can be made out of plastic bags, nylon fabrics from discarded tents,
strings and an object that will serve as the payload.
The
instructions are very easy and there many resources that you can find in
the internet. This is why parachutes are common science
projects.
There are many variations that can be done with a
parachute. You can make different designs and make a few variations with
your over all design to yield different results.
Parachute
Projects
Parachutes work by slowing down the descent of a person or
object in the atmosphere. They create drag or air resistance that slows
down the descent while being pulled down by gravity. You can experiment
with different designs but the easiest to make would be round shaped
parachutes.
When an object falls down it has to push air molecules
away. This causes the drag or air resistance that inflates parachutes. The
amount of drag can be measured through the cross sectional area of the
object. The canopy of a parachute has a large cross sectional area which
results to more drag. This is what makes the falling object with a
parachute slow down.
To be able to make a falling object have a
soft landing, it must reach a terminal velocity. This is accomplished when
the weight of the object is equal to the drag or air resistance. To be
able to get the right drag you must have a chute with the right size. The
size of the chute will depend on the payload or your weight. Generally,
heavier objects need canopies with bigger radius. There is a formula for a
decent speed for payloads that is applied to round parachutes.
The
best way to start is to go simple first so that you will have an idea on
how it works. Then you can go from there and experiment with different
materials and weights. Using sand can be a bit hard to gauge. You can opt
to go for large canopies if you want to try heavier weights. There are
materials that are air resistant while some are not. Most if the time it
will depend on the weight of your materials.
Toy parachutes can be
made from plastic bags and strings. Apart from plastic bags you can also
use a bandanna, handkerchief, scarf or any lightweight fabric. If fabrics
are not available use lightweight paper. You can decide on what object you
are going to use for the payload. The simplest payload would be metal
washers. It's preferable to use lightweight strings.
Make small
overhand knots at the corners of your cloth. Then tie the string above the
knots. Hold the center of your cloth and pull the strings. Tie the ends of
your strings with an overhand knot. Lastly tie the strings to the metal
washer. Release the parachute 6 feet high.
It's more convenient to
use a lark's head knot so that you will able to easily untie your payload.
You can add more metal washers if you want to experiment. You can also add
suspension lines if you want a different design. There are also other
materials that you can use. After you know the basics you can try out
nylon fabrics from discarded tents and have heavier
weights.
Get expert advice about parachuting at http://www.articlefog.com/category-parachuting.htm.
Here you can find all information about parachutes,
powered parachutes,
parachuting,
parachure courses and many more.
Article Source: www.ArticleFog.com.
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