Curiosity Guide #205
Flowing Air
Accompanies Curious Crew, Season 2, Episode 5 (#205)
Making a Hoop Glider
STEM Challenge
Description
Can you make a hoop glider that is a great flyer?
Materials
Heavy paper, like construction, résumé, or notecard paper
Straws
Tape
Ruler
Scissors. A paper cutter works well if an adult wants to cut strips
for a group.
Measuring tape
Paper airplane and airfoil wing, to compare the wings’ function with
that of the hoop glider
Procedure
1) Measure and cut three paper strips, 1 inch by 5 inches.
2) Make a loop out of one strip. Overlap the ends by ½ inch. Tape in
place.
3) Make a larger loop by taping the other two strips together. Overlap
the ends. Form the loop and tape in place.
4) Line up the 2 hoops so that they are standing up on the table.
5) Slide the straw through the hoops so that the straw is lying flat on
the table, with the small hoop on one end and the large hoop on the
other.
6) Tape down the straw to the inside of the paper hoops.
7) Pick up the glider by the straw.
8) Aim slightly up and give the glider a toss.
9) Create variations of the glider. Try different sizes of hoops and
lengths of straws, or multiple hoops. What happens when you create
two hoop gliders and attach them together? What other
modifications can you try?
10) Test-fly each modification.
11) Keep track of your distances with a measuring tape.
12) What combination gives you the best flyer?
13) Something else to do: Visually compare the airfoil wing you made
in Investigation #6, a paper airplane, and the hoop glider. Think
about how each of them uses air pressure and/or drag.
My Results
Explanation
Although the Hoop Glider looks quite different from a paper airplane,
the hoop also acts as a wing. When you look at a paper airplane, there
is no curve or bump like you see in an airfoil. It is flat. However, the
element of air resistance, or drag, is another contributor to providing
lift. As the air hits the lower part of the dragging wing or hoop, the
air slows down. According to Bernoulli, if the air slows down, the
pressure goes up, so there is a lift for the paper airplane or the glider.
The larger back hoop provides drag and lift while the front hoop keeps
the hoop glider going straight. The glider stays upright because even
though it is falling, each part will fall at the same speed and maintain
its position.
Other things to try: Just like your Hoop Glider, paper airplanes are
fun to make. Did you know that the largest paper airplane had a
wingspan over 40 feet wide, and when it flew traveled 114 feet? Wow!
In 2012, an aircraft engineer built and flew a paper airplane 226 feet.
Who knows, maybe you can beat one of those records someday!
Parents and Educators: use #CuriousCrew
#CuriosityGuide to share what your Curious
Crew learned!
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