Southaven Middle School 8th Grade Science Mr. Jones

Lab Partners Names: ______, ______

Date: ______

Pre-Activity

PaperHelicopters

IntheBigLabyouwillexperimentwithrollercoastersandtheforcesthatactonthem.

Twoforcesyouwillinvestigatearegravityanddrag.YouhaveprobablyheardofgravityastheforcethatkeepsusontheEarth.Inthisactivity,you’llexperimentwithdragandseehowchangingtheshapeandmassofanobjectcanchangehowmuchdragiscreated.

Materials(quantitiesforonepair)

ForHelicopters

-Templateofpaperhelicopters

-Paperclips

-Scissors

-Paper

ForRecordingData

-Pencils

-Stopwatch

Gravityanddragaffectanythingthatisfalling.Gravityistheforcethatpullsthingstotheground.Imaginethatyoudropapieceofpaper.Gravitycausesthepapertofall.Asthepaperfalls,ithitsairmolecules.Thesecollisionscreatefriction,ordrag,andslowthepaperdown.Doyouthinkdragisgreateronapieceofpaperballeduporlyingflat?Whatfallsslower?

Dragisoneoftheforcesthathelpkeepairplanesintheair.Glidersandparachutesusedragtohelppeoplestayintheairlonger.Duringthisactivity,thinkofwaystocreatemoredragandkeepyourpaperhelicopterintheairaslongaspossible!

TryThis

1.Cutoutthepaperhelicopterfromthetemplate.

2.Foldonebladetowardsyouandonebladeawayfromyou.Putapapercliponthebottomofthehelicopter.

3.Holdthehelicopteraboveyourheadanddropit.Apartnershouldtimehowlongitstaysintheair.Recordthetime.

4.Changeyourhelicoptertokeepitintheairlonger.Someexamplesofthingstochangemaybeaddingpaperclips,usingdifferentpaper,curvingorcuttingtheblades,ormakinganewhelicop-terwithadifferentshape.Youdon’tevenneedtousethetemplate!Useyourimagination,butrememberscientistsonlymakeonechangetoanexperimentatatime.

5.Dropthehelicopteragainandrecordthetime.

6.RepeatSteps4-5asmanytimesasyouwouldlike.Trytoseewhoinyourclasscanmakethehelicopterstayintheairthelongest!

Paper Helicopter

ThingstoThinkAbout:

1.Whatwasthefirstthingthatyouchangedaboutyourhelicopter?Whatdidyouleavethesame?

2.Whatdidyoudotoyourhelicoptertokeepitintheairthelongest?Whatmadeitfallfaster?

3.Ontherollercoastertrack,wewillbeusingballsasthecars.Basedonthisexperiment,doyouthinkaheavieroralighterballwillcreatemoredragandgoslower?Why?

PictureofmyHelicopter / WhatIChanged / TimeinAir

Cutalongthesolidlines andfoldonthedottedlines.