Part 1: Bernoulli’s Baby
Student teams will use a table fan, a test stand, a hand held wind meter and various
airfoils they will construct (from card stock) to determine airfoil and which fan speed
develop the most lift. Students will also change the angle at which the airfoils face the
fan wind (“angle of attack or AOA”) to determine which angle develops the best lift.
Students will use this sortie to learn about the Bernoulli Theorem and learn some
selected aviation vocabulary terms. Students will also learn how to collect, record,
organize, and interpret data collected during an experiment.
Refer to Part 4 of this sortie package and quickly review the airfoil vocabulary before
reading the sortie instructions.
Students review airfoil terminology and label an airfoil diagram (on SLOF Part 3C).
Students will use the test stand, and fan as a rudimentary wind tunnel to test the lift
(or drag) of several airfoil shapes. The wind tunnel fan will blow or push the air over
and under the airfoil that is mounted on the test stand rod. The fan speed control will
be used to change the speed of the air generated by the fan as required. The wind
speed will be measured with the hand held wind meter used by a student team member.
The procedures will direct the students to mount their card stock airfoils on the test
stand using several orientations. Students will orient each airfoil in an upright (upper
camber side up (UCSU)) leading edge forward, and an upside down (lower camber
side up (LCSU)) leading edge forward positions. Several airfoil trials will be compared
at specified “angles of attack.” AOA is the term used to identify the angle at which the
air strikes the leading edge of the airfoil. The test stand may be adjusted to the
specified degrees of attack by using the protractor mounted on the test stand.
Data will be collected about the lift generated by each airfoil shape, airfoil orientation,
AOA, and fan speed. Lift data will be determined by increments marked on the test
stand rod. A data collection instrument (SLOF Part 3) will be used to collect data during
the sortie. The data collected will include the speed of the air moving over the airfoil
surfaces (handheld wind meter), the orientation of the airfoil (upper camber or lower
camber up), the angle of attack (degrees on the protractor), and the amount of lift (if
any) developed by each trial.
Students will analyze the collected data and draw conclusions about the best
combination of airfoil orientation, fan speed and AOA produces the most lift.
1
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
Code: LA.6.1.6.1, MA.6.S.6.2, SC.6.N.1.1, SC.6.N.1.2, SC.6.N.1.4, SC.H.1.3.4.
SC.C.2.3.6, SC.6.P.11.1, SC.6.P.13.1, SC.7.P.10.3, SC.P.11.1, SC.7.P.11.3,
MA.8.A.1.1
Location Coordinates: (
,
)
Materials in sortie box
Box labeled The Biggest Lift
Inventory sheet is located on the box lid.
Boxed Materials include:
4 card stock half sheets (per team)
4 wind meters
4 test stands
4 fan stands
4 power strips
2 3-way power splitters
4 25 foot extension cords
Materials you bring:
1ps pencils
1ps data collection sheet
A. Pre-Sortie Instructions at school
1. Review airfoil terminology before students come to the EFA STEMM Center for this
sortie.
2. Review how to read a wind meter with students before your Center visit. Pay
particular attention to the two scales of the wind meter.
3. Direct students to refer to the Part 3 SLOF data collection instrument to make
predictions about each airfoil trial.
4. You may consider having students construct the airfoil shapes (four shapes per team)
prior to coming to the EFA Center. Refer to the instruction contained in Part 4.
B. Pre-Sortie Instructions at the EFA STEMM Center
1. Set the test stand on the table.
Two test stands may be set on the top of a single table. However, if this is done, the test
stands should face toward opposite sides of the table. This allows the fans to blow
without affecting the conditions or data collection of the other test stand.
Test Point B
Airfoil
Test Stand
Test point A
Direction of fan airflow
Box Fan
2
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
2. Place the fan on the test stand marked “FAN.” Make certain the fan is set up to blow
toward the airfoil on the test stand.
3. Explain to students where they should hold the hand held wind meters during the
trials. One meter should be held at test point A and the second at test point B. Make
certain the backside of the wind meter is pointed in the direction the fan will be blowing
from. The side with the graduated scales is the front side of the meter.
4. Plug the three way splitter into the nearest wall receptacle. Connect three extension
cords to each splitter. Take care to run extension cords in such a manner as to leave
walkways as unobstructed as possible. The end of the extension cord should reach to a
point under where two tables meet (end to end). The test stands should be on these
tables.
5. Connect the power strips to the end of the extension cords. Position the power strips
so the fan power cords can be connected to them. Ensure each fan power switch and
each power strip on/off switch is turned off.
6. Connect the fan power cords plug into one of the power strip receptacles.
7. Set up the airfoil test stand.
8. Ensure the protractor and metal rod are set up for each test set on the table.
9. Divide students into teams of four. Students will assume roles as test engineer 1,
test engineer 2, data collector 1, and data collector 2.
B. Task
1. Direct students to construct at least one airfoil shape. The typical airfoil shape is
recommended for this sortie.
Note: students may construct a cylinder, an equilateral triangle, or a typical airfoil
shape. However, if the student would like to make some shapes at school to bring with
them, a variation of the sortie would be for each team to perform the sortie trials using a
different airfoil shape. That collected data could be reviewed during a class session at
school.
2. Direct data collector 1 student to have data collection instrument (Part 3 SLOF)
ready to collect data.
NOTE: If students have not done so, direct students to label the airfoil parts on the last
page of Part 3 of the data collection instrument.
3. Direct test engineer 1 to slide the turn the power strip to the “on” position.
3
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
4. Direct test engineer 2 to use the SLOF to configure the test stand and airfoil upper
camber up and leading edge forward as directed by task step A1.mount the airfoil on
the test stand rod. Announce ready when mounted.
5. Direct test engineer 2 to confirm the wind meters are held in place by data
collector 1 and 2 at test point A and test point B. Both meters should read zero (bottom
of scale).
6 Direct data collector 2 to record the zero reading at both wind meters.
7. Direct test engineers to start their fans.
The SLOF is the primary data collection instrument. It has several parts. Make
certain students understand the use of each part.
8. Direct teams to follow the SLOF and continue through all trials. Emphasize attention
to detail to ensure that each trial is configured as directed by the SLOF.
a. For trial A1, the SLOF directs students to use the airfoil with upper camber up the
Leading Edge Forward (LEF), angle of attack (AOA) zero (0) degrees, fan speed 1,
b. When fan is turned “on” wait 15 seconds, read and record the fan speed at test point
A and test point B, read and record the increment the airfoil reaches on the metal test
stand rod.
AOA
Trial
A1
Shape
A
Wind Speed
(mph /knots)
Airfoil
Orientation
Camber side
(degrees)
O
A
B
LE
FWD
1
1
x
TE
FWD
upper
lower
Rod
scale
mark
x
This example shows a completed trial A1 line with data entered.
A1
A
O
1
knots
3
110
x
x
3
knots
9. Students should confirm entry of Trial A1 data before they can request permission to
begin trial B1. Requests to move to each trial must be approved by sortie facilitator. This
practice will allow you to determine how each team is progressing.
10. Direct test engineers to configure their test stands for trial B1.
Students will use the appropriate section of the SLOF to record their data.
4
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
11. Direct teams to follow the SLOF and continue through Trial B16. Emphasize
attention to detail to ensure that each trial is configured as directed by the SLOF.
12. Students should request permission to begin trial C1. This will allow you to
determine how each team is progressing.
Assess the time remaining to determine whether teams should continue to trials
C1 - C16 or suspend their experiment.
13. Direct test engineers to configure their test stands for Trial C1.
14. Direct teams to follow the SLOF and continue through Trial C16. Emphasize
attention to detail to ensure that each trial is configured as directed by the SLOF.
15. Students should request permission to begin Trial D1. This will allow you to
determine how each team is progressing.
Assess the time remaining to determine whether teams should continue to trials
D1 - D16 or suspend their experiment.
16. Direct test engineers to configure their test stands for Trial D1.
17. Direct teams to follow the SLOF and continue through Trial D16. Emphasize
attention to detail to ensure that each trial is configured as directed by the SLOF.
18. Direct teams to confirm they have completed all their data entries for each trial.
19. Direct students to collect their materials and prepare to move to their next sortie.
Post Activity
1. Direct students to remove all test airfoils from the test stand.
2. Direct test engineers to turn the power switch of the fans to the “off” position.
3. Direct students to move the switch on the power strip to the “off” position.
Make certain each student has included their name on the SLOF they turn in.
D. The remainder of the activity may be done after students return to school or on
alter class session.
E. Data Analysis
1. Direct students to review the data collected during the sortie.
5
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
2. What conclusions can students draw from the trial data?
3. Which configuration developed the most lift?
4. Which configuration developed the least amount of lift (therefore, the most drag)?
5. What effect did increasing the fan speed have?
6. What effect did increasing the angle of attack have?
Extension
1. Ask students to suggest other airfoil aspects that could be studied using the
scientific method, this test set, and this data collection and analysis method.
6
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
Sortie November: “Bernoulli’s Baby”
New Generation Standards for Science: Grades 6-8
SC.6.N.1.1 Define a problem from the sixth grade curriculum, use appropriate
reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific
investigation of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify
variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics,
analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.
SC.6.P.13.1 Investigate and describe types of forces including contact forces and
forces acting at a distance, such as electrical, magnetic, and gravitational.
SC.6.P.13.3 Investigate and describe that an unbalanced force acting on an object
changes its speed, or direction of motion, or both.
SC.7.N.1.1 Define a problem from the seventh grade curriculum, use appropriate
reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific
investigation of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify
variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics,
analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.
SC.7.N.1.4 Identify test variables (independent variables) and outcome variables
(dependent variables) in an experiment.
SC.7.N.3.2 Identify the benefits and limitations of the use of scientific models.
SC.8.N.1.1 Define a problem from the eighth grade curriculum using appropriate
reference materials to support scientific understanding, plan and carry out scientific
investigations of various types, such as systematic observations or experiments, identify
variables, collect and organize data, interpret data in charts, tables, and graphics,
analyze information, make predictions, and defend conclusions.
SC.8.N.1.3 Use phrases such as "results support" or "fail to support" in science,
understanding that science does not offer conclusive 'proof' of a knowledge claim.
SC.8.N.1.4 Explain how hypotheses are valuable if they lead to further investigations,
even if they turn out not to be supported by the data.
SC.8.N.1.6 Understand that scientific investigations involve the collection of relevant
empirical evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in
devising hypotheses, predictions, explanations and models to make sense of the
collected evidence.
Common Core Math Standards: Grades 6-8
MACC.6.SP.2.5 Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context, such as by:
(a) Reporting the number of observations. (b) Describing the nature of the attribute
7
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212
under investigation, including how it was measured and its units of measurement. (c)
Giving quantitative measures of center (median and/or mean) and variability
(interquartile range and/or mean absolute deviation), as well as describing any overall
pattern and any striking deviations from the overall pattern with reference to the context
in which the data were gathered. (d) Relating the choice of measures of center and
variability to the shape of the data distribution and the context in which the data were
gathered.
MACC.7.EE.2.3 Solve multi-step real-life and mathematical problems posed with
positive and negative rational numbers in any form (whole numbers, fractions, and
decimals), using tools strategically. Apply properties of operations to calculate with
numbers in any form; convert between forms as appropriate; and assess the
reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies.
MACC.7.NS.1.3 Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving the four
operations with rational numbers.
8
Property of Engineers For America STEM Initiative and not to be copied in part or whole without permission.
December 2012 / 1212