Wing Or No Wing?

Question: How do airplanes fly? Does air pressure have anything to do with it?  

Hypothesis: We think airplanes fly because the motors on the airplane propel it forward/upward. If you are using a paper airplane your hand is the motor and wings just make the airplanes look nice.

Materials:

• List your materials:
  
  • Paper
  • Scissors
  • pennies
  
  

 

 

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Our Experiment

Safety Procedures

Paper airplanes are fun to play with, but they can be dangerous. Never throw your airplane at anybody.
Be careful with the scissors - they are sharp.

Procedure:

1. Fold any paper airplane.
2. Throw the airplane and mark where it landed with the penny.
3. Cut off the airplane's wings.
4. Throw the wingless airplane and mark where it landed with another penny.
5. Conclude what you need to conclude.

Special Needs:
You will need an open space and a clear runway. 

Conclusions
Our hypothesis was wrong because we thought that the motor was the center of the operation but it's really the wings and air pressure that make the airplane go up , the motor only makes the plane go forward. Two of the millons of air molecules will spilt and one will go over the top of the wing. The other will go under the wing and since the top of the wing is slanted, the top mulecule will go faster and meet up with the the bottom one. This will make the wind faster on the top of the wind which will make the air pressure lighter on the top. This will make the air pressure on the bottom push up on the bottom of the wing stronger then the air pressure pushing down on the top of the wing which will make the airplane lift off.     

About Maile

Maile is in 5th grade. She enjoys origami and hopes to pursue a career in acting.   

About Robert

Robert is in 5th grade. He enjoys Legos and hopes to become a lawyer when he grows up.