Activity 4.2.1 WL: Four Forces of Flight
Introduction
Aerospace design engineers use aerodynamics, the science of motion of air and forces acting on bodies in air, to design airplanes that will fly. One of the jobs of an aerospace engineer is to create wing shapes that produce lift as the air moves over the wings. If an airplane is going to fly, the amount of lift must be greater than the force of gravity, and the amount of thrust produced by the engine must be greater than the drag force created by air resistance. Wing shapes that provide lift and have the proper angle of attack (the angle at which a wing meets the flow of air) can then help an airplane overcome gravity. Research has shown that a wing with a streamlined shape can overcome drag with the thrust of engines. The less drag on an airplane, the less power it needs to move.
In this activity you will learn the forces acting on an airplane during flight. Knowledge of these forces will help you as you investigate atmospheric flight later in this unit.
Equipment
· Gateway notebook
· Pencil
Procedure
Login to the Whitebox Learning website, www.whiteboxlearning.com
Navigate to the Research section. Read Principles pages under the Background section and answer the questions below.
1. On the drawing below, label the four forces acting on an airplane in flight.
2. Summarize the following four forces that affect an aircraft.
Thrust
Drag
Lift
Weight
3. Describe simply what will happen to an airplane in flight in the following conditions:
· Thrust greater than drag
· Drag greater than thrust
· Weight greater than lift
· Lift greater than weight
4. In order for an airplane to remain in level, steady flight, what must happen to the four forces?
5. Label the three axes and the type of movement at each of these axes in the below diagram.
6. What is the purpose of an elevator on an aircraft?
7. What is the purpose of a rudder on an aircraft?
8. What is the purpose of an aileron on an aircraft?
9. Draw and label an elevator, rudder, and aileron on the aircraft picture above.
10. In the chart below, label the parts of an airplane and their function:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
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PLTW Gateway – Flight and Space Activity 4.2.1 WL: Four Forces of Flight – Page 3