The Science Behind Paper Airplanes
Depending on the aerodynamic design, paper airplanes can fly fairly far and glide
through the air with ease. Physics can come in handy when designing the craft, as
various forces can easily affect the distance and length of the flight. The current
Guinness Book of World Record for the furthest paper aircraft flight is 69.14 meters.
This record was accomplished on February 26, 2012 in North Highlands, California
by John M. Collins and Joe Ayoob. In order to achieve a flight of this length, one
must learn about various designs and how they work with the different forces affecting
flight.
Paper Airplane Designs
Most kids, at some point, have had their parents make them paper airplanes or they
learned how to make their own. There are various different designs which each cause
the plane to fly differently. For instance, planes which are longer and balanced
will fly longer, but those that are shorter and heavier in the front will barely
fly at all. There’s scientific reasoning behind this which is explained further
below. These links will direct you to websites which offer instructions for different
paper airplanes. Try a few or try them all. You can even be creative and design
something completely different from the ones shown. The key to making a great paper
airplane is to experiment. Perhaps you will design one that beats the record by
the current record holders for the farthest flight with a paper airplane.
Aerodynamics
The air around you is one thing that helps a paper airplane fly. When you move your
hands through the air, you are able to feel the air on and around your hands, like
you’re slicing right through it. Your hand is able to move more easily through the
air at certain angles. The aerodynamics of a paper airplane will determine the distance
and ease at which it flies. The aerodynamics of the plane will need to have little
drag and be light enough to defy gravity. Paper airplanes also use the forces of
lift and thrust. When these four forces are used in balance, paper airplanes will
fly longer. Many people do not consider the science behind what makes a paper airplane
fly, but this can be a great way to help kids not only learn, but enjoy science.
Science Experiments
There are various ways to fold paper into airplanes and each may have different
flights. For instance, an airplane that has balance of lift, thrust, gravity, and
drag will fly longer whereas a plane that with little or no balance will have shorter
flights or may possibly nose dive straight to the floor. Using your newfound knowledge
of paper airplane aerodynamics, you can do science experiments. Use various types
of paper and various paper airplane designs to test which type of paper or airplane
design flies the best. You can then determine what forces were at work with the
individual designs that may have caused the long or short flights. The links below
will direct you to some paper airplane science experiments for you to try. These
can be used by parents and teachers to help children with learning. Try one of these
paper plane science experiments for your next school science fair.
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