Parachutes Lab

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-Abhirath Singh

9C

Parachutes Experiment

Aim: 

  1. To determine that the surface area of a parachute can affect the time it takes to travel a calculated distance, and therefore affecting the speed at which it falls.

Hypothesis:

  1. The surface area of a parachute affects the time it takes to travel a calculated distance, and the speed at which it falls.
  2. Parachutes with a larger surface area will fall slower than ones with a smaller surface area, and will also take a longer time.

Background:

Parachutes are used by people in order to land safely from the air. These parachutes work on the basic law of air resistance. As a parachute opens up, it causes resistance against the air, causing the person using it to slow down. There are several factors that affect the way a parachute falls. These include; weight of user, force of winds blowing against the parachute, direction of winds against the parachute, material of parachute, weather conditions and surface area of parachute. In this experiment we will explore the factor of surface area of the parachute, which affects the way a parachute falls.

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Variables:

Constant Variable – Distance traveled by parachutes & weigh of the plasticine.

Independent Variable – Surface area of parachute.

Dependent Variable – Time taken by parachute to fall & speed of the parachute.

Materials:

  1. Polythene sheets - minimum size = 25cm x 25cm – 5 sheets.
  2. Thin string – Length = 1400cm.
  3. Meter Rule.
  4. Plasticine – 5 grams.
  5. Sellotape.
  6. Scissors.
  7. Electronical Stop watch (± 0.01 seconds).
  8. Weight Balance (± 0.01 grams).
  9. Area with a flight of stairs.

Method:

  1. Take a plastic ...

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