Cut out center circle for template. Cut line on actual capsule before cutting out interior circle. Side of Capsule

Cut out center circle for template. Cut line on actual capsule before cutting out interior circle. Side of Capsule

Bottom of Capsule Top Hatch, Option 2 Top Hatch, Option 1

Name: Period: 1. Find the surface area of the capsule: Area of the large circle Less the area of the interior circle Subtotal Area of the bottom Area of the top hatch TOTAL SURFACE AREA 2. Design the parachutes. Each parachute design must have an area of less than 35 in 2 or 88.9 cm 2. a. Design, draw, and label all dimensions for the CIRCLE parachute below:

b. Design, draw, and label all dimensions for the RECTANGLE parachute below: c. Design, draw, and label all dimensions for the TRIANGLE parachute below:

Group Members: 3. Testing of Parachute Systems. a. Circle Parachute Total Surface Area: Drop Height Drop Time Horizontal Distance from Drop Decent Rate (Drop Height/Drop Time) Drop 1 Drop 2 Drop 3 b. Rectangle Parachute Total Surface Area:

3. Testing of Parachute Systems. c. Triangle Parachute Total Surface Area: Drop Height Drop Time Horizontal Distance from Drop Decent Rate (Drop Height/Drop Time Drop 1 Drop 2 Drop 3 d. Calculate the average decent rate for each type of parachute. Circle Parachute Drop 1 Drop 2 Drop 3 Average meters per second Rectangle Parachute Triangle Parachute e. Which of your parachutes had the fastest decent rate? f. Which of your parachutes had the slowest decent rate? g. Why do you think one parachute system performed better than the other?

Group Members: 4. Calculate the decent line for each test drop. Use the Pythagorean Theorem, a 2 + b 2 = c 2, to calculate the decent line of each drop. Drop Height, a Horizontal Distance, b a 2 + b 2 = c 2 Decent Line, c Circle, Drop 1 Circle, Drop 2 Circle, Drop 3 Rectangle, Drop 1 Rectangle, Drop 2 Rectangle, Drop 3 Triangle, Drop 1 Triangle, Drop 2 Triangle, Drop 3 a. What trends, if any, do you see in the data? Which type of parachute system gave the longest decent lines? The shortest decent lines?

Drop Height Drop Height Drop Height b. Plot the drop height, a, and the horizontal distance, b, from the second drop of each parachute system on the graphs below. Each box represents 0.5 meters. Circle Parachute, Drop 2 Rectangle Parachute, Drop 2 Horizontal Distance Horizontal Distance Triangle Parachute, Drop 2 Is it possible to form a right triangle by connecting the two points? How does this measurement relate to the table you completed on the previous page? Horizontal Distance

Group Members: 5. Find the mean decent rate and mean decent line distance for each parachute system: Parachute System Mean Decent Rate Mean Decent Line Distance Circle Rectangle Triangle 6. Examining the data. a. Which parachute system performed the best? The least? b. What patterns do you see in your data? Which patterns do you think are important? Explain why. c. Compare and contrast the different parachute systems with regards to speed, controlled flight, landing, etc.

6. Changing a variable. Do you think adding weight to the capsule would change the results? Explain your thinking. 7. Retest: Add two paper clips to your capsule and repeat the trials. a. Circle Parachute b. Rectangle Parachute

c. Triangle Parachute d. How did the weight impact the drop time and descent rate? 8. Two parachutes? a. If you could use two of the three parachutes on the capsule, which ones would you choose and why? Be specific.

Teacher Notes Materials Needed: Per Student: 2 plastic plates, 9 or larger (or 1 plastic plate and one smaller paper plate can be used if the interior circle of capsule is used as hatch). 12 inches of kite string 1 plastic bag or part of a trash can liner (depending on size) Scissors Scotch tape Ruler Sharpie (for tracing pattern and putting student name on the capsule) Per Group Stopwatch Measuring tape or meter sticks Pencil Calculator Clipboard Worksheeet(s) Template measurements: Main capsule, d = 6.75 in or 17.145 cm Interior (cutout) circle, d = 2.5 in or 6.35 cm Bottom of capsule, d = 4.75 in or 12.065 cm Hatch 1, d = 2 in or 5.08 cm Hatch 2, d = 1.75 in or 4.445 cm Approximate surface area of capsule (depending on hatch system): 50.945 51.712 in 2 129.40 131.348 cm 2