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An aircraft in straight and level, constant velocity flight is acted upon by four forces: lift, weight, thrust, and drag. The opposing forces balance each other; in the vertical direction, lift opposes weight, in the horizontal direction, thrust opposes drag.
In this activity, you will explore the basics behind all four forces of flight. You will witness the effects of gravity on two different balls (weight), the thrust provided by an inflated balloon, the drag created by air resistance and the lift produced by your hands in a stream of air.
Grade 6 - Flight. Flight occurs when the characteristics of structures take advantage of certain properties of air. 3.3 identify and describe the four forces of flight – lift, weight, drag, and thrust. 3.4 describe, in qualitative terms, the relationships between the forces of lift, weight, thrust, and drag that are required for flight.
The scripts are intended to help you as you begin to talk to children and youth about freeze, flight and fight. As you become more comfortable you will create your own script adapting to the specific needs and abilities of the child or youth with whom you are working.
How Airfoils Produce Lift. Air is a Fluid. Has mass, therefore momentum. Has pressure, can transfer momentum to nearby air/objects. Basic Facts about Lift Production. Angle of Attack, Pressure Differential, Circulation. Other Facts.
Lesson Overview. Through physical experimentation, students will learn about motions and forces, and transfer of energy as they explore the basics behind the four forces of flight.
Use the key image projected on the classroom screen or a model of an airplane—paper or otherwise—to identify the forces of drag, thrust, lift, and weight (gravity). Encourage student volunteers to step forward and identify the forces for their classmates. Demonstrate how to construct the first paper airplane template.
