Air Resistance - Helicopter Template

Air resistance, also known as drag, plays a significant role in the physics of flight and is a concept often explored in educational settings through hands-on activities. One such activity involves the use of a helicopter template, which students can use to create a simple paper model of a helicopter. The template is designed to be cut out and assembled, allowing students to investigate how air resistance affects the motion of the helicopter as it falls to the ground. The helicopter's rotating blades will experience air resistance, slowing its descent and providing a visual demonstration of this important force at work.

The helicopter template activity is not only a fun, interactive way to learn about air resistance but also serves as an introduction to basic aerodynamic principles. As students release their paper helicopters from a height, they can observe the effect of air resistance on the rate of fall and how the design of the helicopter's blades can influence its flight. This experiment encourages students to think critically about design and to experiment with modifications to the template that might alter the helicopter's performance, such as changing the size or angle of the blades to see how these variables impact the helicopter's descent due to air resistance.