Have you ever wondered how parachutes work? Why is it that they can slow down our fall? Test out what makes a parachute work well by following along with this experiment!
Materials:
A plastic bag or cloth, string, scissors, and an action figure or weighted object.
Time Estimated:
15 minutes
Directions:
With adult supervision, cut out a square shape from the plastic bag.
Next, make small holes on each corner of the square. You can do this by folding down one corner of the square and cutting out a triangle shape.
Cut four pieces of string. Try to make them as equal in length as possible.
Next, tie one end of each piece of string to the plastic bag through the holes you made.
Then, tie the other end of each string to your action figure.
With adult supervision, drop the parachute from the top of some stairs (or from a chair or high spot) and watch it fall!
Think Like a Scientist
Why did the action figure drift from side to side when it fell instead of falling in a straight line?
What can we do to make the fall more smooth?
What would happen if we changed the size and shape of the parachute?
How It Works:
In this experiment, you learned about air resistance!
When the parachute was dropped from higher ground, the weight of the action figure allowed it to open up! Notice that once the parachute opened up, the falling of the action figure started to slow down. This is due to air resistance!
Air resistance, or drag, is a force acting against a moving object. Imagine that you are walking on a very windy day. It would be a bit difficult to move against the wind as it pushes back against you. This is an example of air resistance!
Without the presence of air resistance, the action figure would continue to fall faster and faster until it reached the ground. This might cause it to break! Luckily, air resistance works to slow down an object as it falls.
The larger the parachute, the more air resistance is present and the slower the object will fall. This is because the bigger size of the parachute means that there will be more air caught underneath it when it is open, leading to more resistance. Air resistance is important for things like airplanes, and can even be observed in nature when a leaf gently falls to the ground!
Try performing the experiment again, this time creating your parachute in different shapes and sizes! Record your observations and try your best to make a parachute that falls as smoothly as possible!
Looking for more fun at home STEM activities for your young scientist? Check out our workbook full of exciting science experiments and empowering activities!
