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Measuring
Elevation
Activity
If so instructed by your teacher, print out a worksheet page for these
problems.
Overview
In this activity,
you will design wing models out of balsa wood (or some other comparable
material) and experimentally calculate their lift at certain speeds and
angles. You will then use FoilSim to determine your elevation by entering
those measured values into the program.
Materials
The FoilSim
program.
Balsa wood, glue,
and tissue paper to create wing models.
A bicycle that
has been modified to test your wing models.
Stopwatch, measuring
tape, and protractor.
Procedure
You need to study
each of the preparation pages and make the modifications as shown on the
design page.
- Gather information
on both the flat and Lilienthal
wings with which the Wright
Brothers worked. Briefly list the information you discover, and
explain how this will affect the models you create.
- Build a wing model
out of balsa wood. The area should be restricted to 1 square foot.
- Attach the models
to the modified bicycle,
making sure to measure the angle at which the model is placed on the
bicycle. Record the angle.
- Attach masses to
the bar. Run three trials using 25 g, 50 g, and 75 g.
- As the driver pulls
forward, record your observations. Make careful observations. As the
mass starts to lift, start the stopwatch and mark the location of the
bicycle. With the driver maintaining a steady speed, time the bicycle
for a certain distance traveled.
- Measure the distance
traveled and record the time and distance.
- Complete the questions
and calculations on the worksheet.
- Use the values
obtained on the worksheet, and set those values into the FoilSim program.
Modify camber to estimate the shape of your wing. Vary the elevation
until the lift matches the weight lifted by your wing models.
- Record this elevation.
- Design a report,
either written or a presentation, that explains your experimental procedure,
your results, and the reasons for your results.
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