Education
Lift
What happens?
An aeroplane wing shaped cross section (an aerofoil) has a flow of air over its top. A tube, about 1 metre long, penetrates through the wing to its top. You place table tennis balls into the lower end of the tube. The balls get sucked up the tube and shoot out of the top.
How does it work?
The relationship between the speed of a moving fluid and the pressure within it is described by the Bernoulli Principle: as the speed of flow of a fluid increases, the pressure exerted by that fluid decreases. In science, the word 'fluid' means 'something that flows' - including gases like air. Air is flowing over the top of the wing, so its pressure is lower than in the air at the bottom of the tube, which is stationary. The reduced air pressure above the wing enables the balls to be drawn up through the tube to emerge at its top.
Why is it important?
The Bernoulli Principle is the basis of aircraft flight as it explains how aircraft can get enough vertically upward force (lift) to overcome their gravitational downward force (weight), and so leave the ground. Other applications of the Bernoulli Principle include the carburetor in a car engine, the Venturi pump for taking gas out of a system, the Pitot tube for measuring an aircraft's speed, and land yacht sailing. Key the underlined word into a search engine for more information.
How does it relate to the primary curriculum?
- Curriculum objectives: Mutual understanding (if working in a pair or small group); Economic awareness (importance of the Bernoulli Principle to aviation)
- Cross-curricular skills: Communication (if working in a pair or small group)
- Thinking skills and personal capabilities: Thinking, problem solving, decision making; Being creative; Working with others (if working in a pair or small group); Self-management
- Area of learning - The world around us: Pupils can explore: how they and others interact in the world; the causes and effects of movement, forces and energy
- Learning experiences: Investigating and problem solving; Relevant and enjoyable; Active and hands on; Challenging and engaging; Enquiry based
- Attitudes and dispositions: Self-confidence; Curiosity
How does it relate to the post-primary curriculum?
- Science: Pupils should have opportunities to: use practical skills to explore forces and energy transfer; develop their manipulative skills; develop their skills of investigation and scientific enquiry
Thinking skills
Understanding the situation; Identifying factors in the situation; Analysing elements of the situation; Perceiving and establishing relationships between consequences and their causes; Drawing conclusions, or relating conclusions and reasons
Learning styles
Visual; Kinaesthetic; Spatial
Where can you find out more?
www.grc.nasa.gov/www/K-12/airplane/lift1.html
www.howstuffworks.com/airplane.htm (explanations of lift)