Have you ever wondered how does helicopter’s fly. In this simple science experiment we will make paper helicopters. I want the kids to explore how varying the size and shape of the blades and the weight of a paper helicopter affect the way the helicopter spins.
To make a paper helicopter you will need
- Strips of Paper
- Scissor
- Glue
- Paper clips
- Ruler
Take a strip of paper about 20 cm and 4 cm.
Cut the paper at the dotted lines
Fold the longer length and glue it.
Helicopter is ready to fly. Drop it from a height and see it in action.
Attach a paper clip at the bottom length and notice if you see any difference in the speed of the spinning of the blades.
The paper helicopter rotates like a helicopter. When dropped from a height, the force of gravity pulls the helicopter down whereas the air rushes out from under the wings in all direction. The air resists the movement and pushes up against each blade separately, causing some of that thrust to become a sideways or horizontal push, causing the helicopter to spin.
Adding paper clips increases the weight of the helicopter and reduces the air resistance but increases the amount of air hitting the paper helicopter blades and hence causes the blades to spin faster.
Leave a Reply