PART 1- QUESTIONS

1. Why was the folded edge called the leading edge? (This was the part of the wing which lead into the airstream)
2. How did removing a wing fold affect the glider behavior? (Less weight in the front caused the center of weight to move towards the trailing edge so the airfoil tilted down more at the back and, in addition, the wing area was increased. Both caused lift at a given speed to increase)
3. How did adding an extra fold affect the glider's behavior? (Exactly opposite effect to ques.2)
   

PART 2-QUESTIONS

1. What part of the glider acted as the wing? (Exactly as before. All of it! The entire thing acted as the wing, although the sides, being vertical, didn't contribute as much lift as the horizontal top and bottom of the ring).
2. How can you increase the lift of this design at a given speed? (Unfolding an edge will cause the trailing edge to drop down and the wing area to increase. Since the lift must be the same, because the weight is unchanged, the ring wing will fly a little slower, although this cannot be seen.)
   

THINK ABOUT IT
Have you ever placed your hand in a stream of rushing water?
If so, what happened as you angled your finger tips in the stream flow. (They would rise or descend within the moving fluid)
Why? (Like a wing, your hand would react to the force of impacting water particles.)
Suppose you angled your hand down? (The hand would "dive" due to the angle at which the water stream strikes the upper surface of this extremity.)
What would happen if you keep your hand level? (It would stay mostly at the same level)

CURRICULUM LINKS

Physics:  Motions and Forces, Bernoulli's Principle

NATIONAL SCIENCE STANDARDS (Grades 5-8)

Science As Inquiry-Content Standard A

Students should develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry,

Students should develop an understanding about scientific inquiry

Physical Science -Content Standard B

Students should develop an understanding of motions and forces

Science and Technology -Content Standard E

Student should develop abilities of technological design

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