This week in Science, we took our learning to new heights, literally! We explored the effects of air resistance by designing and testing our own parachutes, which we dropped from the classroom window into the courtyard below.
After learning how air resistance can slow objects down, we discussed real life examples such as parachutists, birds and planes, and how they use this force to their advantage. We then worked in teams to create parachutes of different sizes and shapes, predicting how each design might behave as it fell.
Although our parachutes had varying levels of success, we were able to spot a clear trend in our results. We noticed that the bigger the parachute, the slower it fell. This helped us understand that a larger surface area increases air resistance, meaning the object takes longer to reach the ground.
To help ensure a fair test, all parachutes were dropped by Miss Forster Adams from the same height. One member of each group timed the fall, and we later recorded and compared our results. However, we also encountered some real life challenges! A few parachutes were blown off course by the wind and became caught in the canopy, which highlights questions about the variables we can and can’t control in outdoor experiments.
What would you change about your parachute design to make it fall more slowly, and why?
