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Air Resistance Parachute Investigation

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Air Resistance Parachute Investigation

A tiny supply pod needs to land gently. Plan and test a parachute to find out how its canopy size affects the time it takes to fall. Work safely with an adult: drop the parachute from the same height each time, away from people and stairs. Change only one feature between designs.

Predict and plan

Air resistance is a force from the air that acts against an object moving through it. A parachute’s canopy catches air. Make a prediction, then plan a fair test.

1.Which sentence best explains air resistance?

A force that can slow an object moving through air
A force that makes every object heavier
A force that only pulls objects towards the ground

2.You have two canopies made from the same material, with the same strings and payload. Predict which will usually take longer to fall: the larger canopy or the smaller canopy. Explain why.

3.Choose the feature to change in this investigation. Name two features you will keep the same so the test is fair.

Draw and label the canopy, strings and payload. Show which feature you plan to change.

Test and record

Build two parachutes with different canopy sizes. Use the same safe drop height and payload for both. Time each fall three times, release without throwing, and record your results. If possible, have one person release and another time. Calculate each mean: add the three times and divide by three.

Design

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Mean time

Smaller canopy

Larger canopy

4.Why is it useful to repeat each drop three times instead of relying on just one result?

5.Compare the larger and smaller canopies’ mean fall times. What do your results suggest about canopy size and air resistance? Use your measured means as evidence. Did your results match your prediction? If not, suggest a possible reason.

6.True or false: If a parachute falls slowly, gravity has stopped acting on it. Correct the statement if it is false.

TrueFalse

7.Your first test was inconsistent: one parachute was released higher than the other. What should you do to improve the comparison?

8.A parachute needs to carry a small supply pod safely. Suggest one design change that could make its fall slower, and explain one possible drawback or limit.