Key Stage4 – Jet

Suck-squeeze-bang-blow

Notes for teachers

At a glance

In this activity, students learn how the jet engine works. Through so doing they explore – or revise – ideas about forces, gases, work, and efficiency.

Students take the role of airline workers, planning a presentation to help petrified passengers become fearless flyers. They plan how to explain the functions of the four main components of a jet engine, and consider how to incorporate reassuring messages about its safety.

This activity is best tackled once students have studied forces, energy and gases, perhaps as a revision activity, showing how different areas of physics link together. It is also suitable as a stretch and challenge activity for higher attaining students at any stage of their physics course.


Learning Outcome

  • Students consider the forces acting on an aeroplane
  • Students consider the behaviour of gases in jet engines
  • Students calculate the efficiency of a jet engine
  • Students explain how scientists and engineers make jet engines safe

Each group of four students will need

  • 1 or 2 copies of the pupil worksheet
  • 1 copy of the peer assessment sheet
  • 1 copy each of briefing sheets 1, 2, 3 and 4
  • Access to poster-making equipment, or PowerPoint
  • Access to the Internet (optional)
  • Access to:
  • A balloon
  • An electric or battery-powered fan
  • A plastic syringe (without a needle)
  • A candle and box of matches
  • A child’s small seaside windmill (see photo on briefing sheet 4)

Possible Lesson Activities

  1. Starter activity
  2. Show the animation ‘Jet plight’ to the class.
  3. Repeat the viewing, focusing on the section from 0:44 to 1:22, which describes and explains the functions and features of the four stages of a jet engine.
  1. Main activity
  2. Divide students in groups of four, and give each group one or two copies of the pupil worksheet.
  3. Students tackle the three parts of task 1. These cover the basic forces involved in aeroplane flight.
  4. Student groups allocate tasks to group members, as described in task 2. Briefing sheets 2 and 3 are suited to those with well-developed mathematical skills. Briefing sheets 1 and 4 are a little less intellectually demanding.
  5. Within their groups, individuals read one briefing sheet. As well as information to read, there are calculations to test understanding, and a simple practical activity to illustrate the theory.
  6. Still in their groups, students take turns to teach each other what they have learnt. It is best to tackle this part of the task in this order: fan, compressor, combustor, turbine. The four stages of a jet engine are known colloquially as suck-squeeze-bang-blow.
  7. Group members work together to plan their presentation for nervous flyers. It is suggested that they give a brief outline of the operation of a jet engine, and then focus on the safety and testing of each component, as described on the briefing sheets.
  1. Plenary
  • Students present their presentations to another group.
  • Groups use the peer assessment sheet to guide them in assessing each others’ work.
  • Allow time for groups to study the assessment sheet for their own work.
  • If you wish, show the animation again.

Further suggestions

Students could explore the relevant sections of the Rolls Royce web site Exploring a jet engine to help them find out more about their components. The web site includes a simulated journey through a jet engine, as well as a light-hearted engineering suitability test:

Answer diagram for Task 1


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