Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Simple Aerodynamic Experiments

Lift Test

An easy way to demonstrate lift and Bernoulli's principle is to get a regular piece of paper and cut it in half lengthwise, put one end in a test book and allow the other end to hang over the top. The paper will represent a wing. Now, blow across the top of the paper. What happens? The paper will rise. This is because the air over top of the "wing" is moving faster which decreases the pressure.




Drag Test




Get two identical pieces of paper. Crumple one and put it in your hand, in the other place the other sheet flat on your hand. Drop the two pieces of paper at the same time. The crumpled ball will reach the ground first. This occurs because the flat piece of paper has a larger surface area and creates more drag than the other so it moving it more slowly through the air.

Reduction in Pressure Test (Bernoulli's Principle)

Get two empty pop cans place them near the edge of a table side by side with a 3 or 4 inch gap in between them. Now, blow between the two cans from table level. The cans will come together due to the reduction of pressure created by the rapidly moving air in between them.
Further examples for this principle in
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YHqCkCJbWQ&feature=related

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