How Frisbees Work

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I. Science Fair Question
Is there a relationship between launch angle and distance?
II. Background Research
Are you good at tossing a Frisbee? This research paper is going to explain how Frisbees work. Terms that will be discussed in this paper will include aerodynamics, lift, drag, and angular momentum.
Aerodynamics is the study of the movement of air and other gases and of the forces involved in their movements. It is also the study of the way objects, such as cars and airplanes, interact with air when they are moving through it (The American Heritage Student Science Dictionary 6). Simply it is the study of how any objects move through the air (Brian Dunbar). Aerodynamics is a very important science. Without it, it would be nearly impossible …show more content…
Lift is best known as the upward force acting on an airplane's wing during flight, but also is very important for the flight of a Frisbee (The American Heritage Student Science Dictionary 196). If the upper flow of air on the wing is faster than the lower air, according to Bernoulli’s equation, an equation used in fluid mechanics that relates pressure, velocity, density, and gravitational acceleration, the air pressure is lower. The pressure difference is what produces the lift (NASA: Incorrect Theory #1). If you look closely at the edge of the Frisbee you will find several concentric grooves. The grooves on the edge produce turbulence at the leading edge of the Frisbee, which functions like the gurney flap on an airfoil. This turbulent region assists in keeping the boundary layer of the air flow over the disc close it which increases lift (Laughlin). In more simple terms, lift is the force that opposes gravity and gives the Frisbee more air time (The Ultimate Science Fair Project: Frisbee …show more content…
The main forces are lift, drag, gravity, and air resistance. A force is any of the various factors that cause a body to change its speed, direction, or shape. If a body is acted on by several forces that counteract and balance each other, then it experiences no net force (The American Heritage Student Science Dictionary 135). Drag and gravity work together against flying devices because they both slow down the flight rather than boost or speed it up. Frisbees are designed so that they have a lot of air resistance. At first you may think “why would I want a Frisbee with lots of air resistance”, it may seem like a bad thing, but without any air resistance the Frisbee would fall much faster, the same reason it takes longer for a feather to fall. Angular momentum helps the Frisbee fall slowly and stable through the air even with air resistance
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