zoom, zoom, like an aeroplane!

Saturday, March 6, 2010

How I will conduct the experiment?

My experiment will answer the question:
'How does size of paper used to make paper airplanes affect their flight.'
 
Following the research about the aerodynamics of paper airplanes/planes in general and brief plane launcher design, here is a rough summary of how I will conduct the experiment.

Equipment:

Independent Variables:
- model of airplane
- size of paper

Dependent Variables:
- length of flight
- nature of flight (not sure if I should do this one)
ie, pattern of flight of the plane, how quickly it descends.

Controlled Variables:
- type of paper used
- wind speed in surrounding environment (that will be 0km/h as I will conduct at home)
- length elastic band is pulled back (is there a name of that?)
- height of release

Method 1:

Using the three models of airplanes I had previously decided on, I will launch each model from the plane launcher.

I will vary the size of paper used, starting from an A4 size followed by paper of smaller sizes.
I will then measure the distance travelled by each airplane of each model. Record the results, repeat the experiment, and of course, analysise.

Method 2:

A method similar to the first, with the difference of recording the 'nature of the flight'.
ie, recording the actual flight of the airplane and perhaps graphing it.

















3 comments:

  1. whoa! yours is so thorough and you've written so much. and just so that I won't feel too guilty on Monday, I forgot your MSN before I remembered to add it. Sorry...

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  2. Loving this! Very well thought through blog and experiment. Have you thought about how you plan to measure altitude as you launch the plane? Would be very interesting to look at!

    Be careful with your mathematical analysis when you get to getting the results- make sure you ask me if you need a hand! :D

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