Teach Engineering
Equal and Opposite Thrust in Aircraft: You're a Pushover!
It's the law—every action requires a reaction, no matter how small. Pupils experience two demonstrations of Newton's third law of motion as it relates to thrust in the 10th segment of a 22-part unit on flight. Using their mathematical...
Teach Engineering
May the Force Be With You: Thrust
Force the plane through the air. The lesson introduces the force on an airplane that makes it go forward. Pupils learn how Newton's laws of motion apply to flight in the eighth segment of a 22-part unit on flight.
Kenan Fellows
Weight and Balance of an Airplane
A career in aeronautics might be calling your class members. Building from the previous two lessons in the series, learners continue analyzing the mathematics of aeronautics. Groups create a paper airplane using paperclips for balance....
Kenan Fellows
Reading Airline Maintenance Graphs
Airline mechanics must be precise, or the consequences could be deadly. Their target ranges alter with changes in temperature and pressure. When preparing an airplane for flight, you must read a maintenance graph. The second...
Kenan Fellows
Introduction to a Flight Computer
Keep your hands on the wheel—at all times! Scholars learn why pilots use a flight computer through a high-flying demonstration. Making calculations for speed, distance, or time is automatic if you know how to use a flight computer.
Teach Engineering
Magical Motion
Make solutions to projectile motion problems magically appear using equations. Pupils watch a clip from a Harry Potter movie and find the length of time it takes for a remembrall to fall into Harry's hands. They use a projectile motion...
Curated OER
Using 3-D Models for Code Validation with FoilSim
Students use FoilSim to complete the activity to create tables of data sets comparing the lift values for a 3-D model of a symmetrical wing section to the values predicted by the FoilSim software.
Curated OER
Aircraft Trajectory Problem Set
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by applying it to the calculation of speed, distance, acceleration, and time in simple aircraft motion.
Curated OER
Aircraft Trajectory Problem Set
Students read text from a NASA Web-based textbook then demonstrate an understanding of the text by using it to complete an activity on aircraft trajectories.
Teach Engineering
Archimedes' Principle, Pascal's Law and Bernoulli's Principle
What do Pascal's law, Archimedes' Principle, and Bernoulli's Principle have to do with fluid mechanics? The included PowerPoint presentation provides the basic definitions and equations associated with the three. A set of homework...
Curated OER
The Aspect Ratio of Wings
Junior engineers examine aspect ration in airplane wings. Using the length and width of two differetn wings, they calculate the aspect ratios and compare drag rankings. An engineering or space science class would benefit from this...
Curated OER
Air Temperature and Kinetic Energy
Students use a NASA website do activities which help them better explain how air temperature and kinetic energy are related to aircraft propulsion.
Curated OER
Temperature and Pressure on Airplane Surfaces
Students use the Internet to delve into the relationship between fores and motion on a sizable object. They predict where they think the temperature and pressure be the greatest, and where the pressure be the lowest.
Curated OER
Newton's Third Law and Aircraft Propulsion
Students research propulsion, graph data, and interpret the results.
Curated OER
Wing Shapes and Areas
Pupils, after reading the explanation given below, use FoilSim to determine the weight of the aircraft that can be lifted by a pair of wings of each type. They also design a unique platform of a wing to lift a plane weighing 11500 pounds.
Curated OER
Aerodynamics of a Boomerang
Learners examine how aerodynamic forces affect the flight of aircraft, animals and sports balls and projectiles (like a javelin or boomerang). They discover the origins of the boomerang and early usage in hunting.
Curated OER
Equation of State Problem Set
Students demonstrate their understanding of the equation of state by computing the gas constant from air properties. They use online research tools and apply integrated math problem-solving strategies to solve problems outside the realm...
Curated OER
Wind Tunnel Aerodynamics Problem Set
Students, after reading an explanation from a NASA Web-based textbook, demonstrate an understanding of the text by applying it to the calculation of area, velocity, and pressure in a wind tunnel.
Curated OER
Altitude and Flight Forces
Learners use the World Wide Web to access and use FoilSim. They also use the World Wide Web to access the NASA Glenn Web site for information relative to the factors involved with the flight of an airplane.
Curated OER
Forces in a Climb
Students use a NASA website to use a given formula to find acceleration and distance after a specific time and how it relates to engine propulsion.
Curated OER
Balsa Wood Airplane Flight and Speed Correlation
Ninth graders calculate the average speed of their balsa wood airplane. For this physics lesson, 9th graders build their own airplane and make necessary modifications to to make it fly straight. They interpret distance and time graph...
Curated OER
Aeronautics Propulsion
Students use the World Wide Web to access additional information needed to complete the activities on the forces on an airplane, the function of the stabilizer, and the calculation of Mach speed, temperature, pressure, and thrust.
Curated OER
Forces in a Climb - Vectors
Students read Forces in a Climb from the Beginner's Guide to Propulsion, and explain each of the formulas using vectors.
Curated OER
Drag Equation - Level 1
Students, after reading the Drag Equation page from the NASA Web site, demonstrate an understanding of this equation and how drag is dependent on the variables included in the equation.