SCIENCE CONCEPT:
- What makes a Frisbee fly? Just like a bird's wing or
the wing of an airplane shape plays a large part in influencing the
flying ability of the Frisbee. It is light weight, circular, fairly
flat, and the edges of the Frisbee are either sloped or rounded. We can
see that the rounded edges of the Frisbee looks similar to the front edge
of an aircraft wing. We know that the curved upper surface of the wing
is what generates lift.
STUDENT OBJECTIVE:
- The student will demonstrate how a Frisbee flies when
thrown through the air.
OVERVIEW:
- The students will pair up into teams of four and stand
approximately 20 to 40 feet apart. The four participants on each team
will throw the Frisbee in different formations between themselves seeing
how the Frisbee will perform.
TEACHER TEXT:
- If we take a look at the Frisbee from the side we can
see that the rounded edges of the Frisbee looks similar to the front edge
of an aircraft wing. We know that the curved upper surface of the wing
is what generates lift. The same principle applies to the Frisbee. As
air passes over the curved upper surface of the Frisbee it speeds up,
creating a low pressure region on top of the Frisbee. Below the Frisbee
air passes more slowly, creating a high pressure region. The difference
in pressure gives the Frisbee lift.
Even though the shape of the Frisbee may generate lift,
lift is not the only requirement for flight. Try throwing a Frisbee
without spinning it. Notice how it wobbles and tumbles. The shape of
the Frisbee may be generating lift, but the Frisbee is unstable. It
cannot stay upright and eventually stalls. All flying things must have
something which makes them stable during flight; airplanes and birds have
tails, rockets have fins. For a Frisbee it is the spinning motion
generated from the Frisbee throw which stabilizes the Frisbee as it
flies.
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PREPARATION TIME:
- 10 minutes.
LESSON TIME:
- 35 minutes.
TEACHER PREP:
- Gather materials
WORDS TO KNOW:
- lift
- rounded edges
- flight
- low pressure region
- high pressure region
- spinning motion
- angular momentum
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