Every week, EVPL will be posting a new STEAM challenge for you to complete from your home! The challenge will run from Monday until Friday. Your parents can help, or you can complete the challenge on your own. We would love to see your creations! Submissions will be posted the following Monday when a new challenge is presented.
This week we are challenging you to experiment to answer this question: Does the folding design of a paper airplane change the distance a paper airplane can travel?
**Note to parents: This challenge has links to YouTube and outside resources for paper airplane designs. You may want to monitor your child’s use of these sites.
The flight of an airplane is governed by 4 forces:
Lift – The shape of an airplane wing makes the force of the air below the wing pushing up stronger than the air above the wing is pushing down.
Thrust – The forward motion of the plane caused by an engine, or your arm as you throw the paper airplane. Thrust makes the airflow over the wings, causing lift.
Weight (gravity) – An airplane needs to resist the force of gravity pulling it to earth. The lighter the plane’s weight, the better it will resist gravity.
Drag – The force of the wind pushing against the plane as it moves through the air, which will slow down the plane. The pointed nose of a plane helps to reduce the amount of drag.
To learn more about these forces and how they work together to make your plane fly, take a look at this website from Scholastic.
Can these words help you understand why or why not your planes are flying well?
Send us a picture of your airplanes and let us know which plane flew the farthest to marketing@evpl.org.
First Name:
Age:
Farthest Flight:
With 8 locations throughout Vanderburgh County, EVPL is ready to discover, explore, and connect WITH you! We encourage you to uncover new things, revisit old favorites, and to engage with us along the way.
200 SE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
Evansville, Indiana 47713
Administration: ceo@evpl.org
Card & Account: circulation@evpl.org
Feedback & Ideas: marketing@evpl.org