Taking Flight

Essential Questions:

• What are the four components of flight?
• What are the prevailing theories on lift?
• What is the primary difference between an airplane and a rocket?
• How does Newton’s 3^rd law apply to thrust?

Students will be able to answer the following questions:

• What is the optimal ratio of fin size to cone size?
• What are the optimal shapes for cones and fins?
• How does aspect ratio affect drag and lift?
• How does the dihedral angle affect stability?

Students should be able to:

• Determine (physically) a glider’s
• Center of pressure
• Center of gravity
• Aspect Ratio
• Dihedral angle
• Calculate a glider’s
  
  • Center of pressure
  • Center of gravity
• Determine (physically) a rocket’s
  
  • Center of pressure
  • Center of gravity
• Calculate a rocket’s
  
  • Center of pressure

Students will know:

• A rocket’s center of pressure must be below the center of gravity for the rocket to be stable.
• The different purposes of wings and fins
• The power considerations of an amphibious vehicle
• How rotational inertia and angular momentum affect helicopter flight
• An airplane’s center of pressure must be behind center of gravity for the airplane to be stable.