Falling and Gliding

SCIENCE CONCEPT:

Gliding Flight is characterized by a period of flight with little or no motion or power to assist it.

STUDENT OBJECTIVE:

The student will be introduced to the concept of comparing the motion of gliding flight to the motion of falling.

OVERVIEW:

Students will perform a simple experiment comparing 2 different types of movement: falling and gliding by using a flat sheet of paper and wadded up a ball of paper. They can observe the gliding flight of the flat sheet of paper versus the rapid drop of the ball of paper.

PREPARATION TIME:

5 minutes.

LESSON TIME:

20 minutes.

TEACHER PREP:

Gather sheets of paper.

WORDS TO KNOW:

paper

drop

crumple

ball

air

height

glide

fall

descend

TEACHER TEXT:

Gliding flight is also found among certain fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. It is also used part of the time by birds, including hawks, vultures and gulls. These animals, too, can sustain periods of flight with little or no motion.

"Flying" fish achieve flightlike movements by means of large pectoral fins that serve as wings. with strong, thrashing movements of their tails they are able to propel themselves up to 35 feet out of the water. Once in the air, they spread their large stiff pectoral fins to glide for flights up to 1,000 feet.

Amphibians and reptiles that glide through the air include "flying" frogs, "flying lizards, and "flying" snakes. Webbing between the toes as well as extended flaps of abdominal skin are used by flying frogs and geckos. Extra folds of skin enable flying lizards and snakes to extend their ribs to stretch out their bodies and hold it stiff so that air caught underneath holds them up for a while. The golden tree snake of the Malayan Peninsula can "fly" from a tree to surprise its prey or escape an enemy. Once in the air, the snake can glide for 65 feet or more.

Gliding mammals include "flying" lemurs and "flying" squirrels. Both have fold of skin along the sides of their bodies that connect their front and hind limbs to help them glide, not fly, from tree to tree or from tree to ground. Although not a true lemur, the "flying" lemur or Colugo of Southeast Asia can spread its flaps of skin and glide through the air like a living parachute. It can glide as far as 450 feet between trees. The "flying" squirrels of Asia, North America and Europe use the furry membrane between their outstretched limbs to "parachute" from tree to tree using their long tails as rudders for maneuvering.

Although true flyers, some birds also glide and soar. Perhaps to rest their wings, hawks, vultures, and gulls sometimes glide. As they glide, they drop lower and lower until finally they must start flapping again to stay up in the air.

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Last modified: Sat Nov 15 19:04:46 PST 1997