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Flight Mission

 

Air is all around us, and when it moves from place to place, we call it wind. To measure how fast the wind moves, we use a tool called an anemometer. 

 

Keywords

- Anemometer: A tool to measure the strength of the wind

- Lift: The force that pushes upwards in the air

- Wind: When air moves from place to place

 

    NGS Standards Covered
    • K-PS2-1: Compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object
    • K-PS2-2: Design a solution to change the speed/direction of an object with a push/pull
    • 2-ESS1-1: Provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly or slowly
    • 2-PS2-2: Observe an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion 
    • 3-ESS2-1: Describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season

    Demonstrations and experiments

    DEMO - Bernoulli Bag : Demonstrates a very simplified version of Bernoulli's law by filling a large bag with one quick breath of air (when air or a fluid flow into a narrower channel, its speed increases). 

    Experiment - Straw Planes: Similar to how rockets blast off by expelling pressure out of one end, our straw planes are able to fly when we apply quick bursts of pressure. 

    DEMO - Rising Paper: A simple demonstration of blowing on printer paper helps us understand how planes can stay in the sky. 

    Take Home Experiments: Straw Rockets + Anemometers

    To use your Straw Rocket, slide the straw into the paper rocket and blow into the straw to apply the force it needs to blast off. Anemometers have freely spinning tops that include instruments designed to "catch" air. As wind hits the anemometer, the force of the wind will cause the anemometer to spin. The speed at which it spins is directly correlated with the speed of the wind. Try blowing into your anemometers at varying speeds!  

     

    Ask your Egghead:

    Q: What are some examples of Forces?

          A: A Force is anything that is a push or a pull! Gravity, Lift, Friction, Tension, Etc. 

    Q: Ask your Egghead to demonstrate Lift using just a piece of paper. 

          A: (You can do this by by blowing across the top of the paper. This creates Lift, a force that causes the paper to rise)

    Q: How does the speed of your Anemometer change when you blow through a straw vs with your mouth? Why do you think this happens? 

          A: Since you're directing the force of your breath through a smaller channel, it should increase the speed of the "wind." This brings us all the way back to Bernoulli's Law!