| Every flying thing, whether it's an
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| | cups. When you wind near the end, stop,
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| airplane, spacecraft, soccer ball, or
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| | stretch the chain back toward your elbow,
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| flying kid, experiences four aerodynamic
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| | make sure the rubber band comes from the
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| primary forces: lift, weight, thrust and
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| | underside of the cups and release. The
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| drag.
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| | cups should rotate quickly and take air,
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| An airplane uses a propeller or jet
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| | then gracefully descend down for a light
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| engine to generate thrust. The wings to
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| | landing. Try making one with four cups.
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| create lift. The smooth, pencil-thin
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| | Hot Air Balloons: Shake out a garbage bag
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| shape minimizes drag. And the molecules
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| | to its maximum capacity. Tape (use duct
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| that make up the airplane attributes to
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| | or masking tape) the open end
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| the weight.
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| | almost-closed... you still want a small
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| Let's find out what are all the parts of
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| | hole the size of the hair dryer nozzle.
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| an airplane for. You'll need to get a
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| | Use the hair dryer to inflate the bag and
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| cheap balsa wood airplane for this next
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| | heat the air inside (make sure you don't
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| part - check out your local drug store or
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| | melt the bag).
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| toy store. I've even found them in
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| | When the air is at its warmest, release
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| grocery stores for about $2.
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| | your hold on the bag while you switch off
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| Take the balsa wood airplane and try to
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| | the hair dryer. It should float up to the
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| fly just the body (no wings or fins). It
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| | ceiling and stay there for a while. This
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| flips all over the place. Try flying just
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| | experiment works best on cold mornings.
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| the large wing (no body). Somersaults!
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| | The greater the temperature difference
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| Now slide the large wing into the body
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| | between the bag's air and the surrounding
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| and fly (fewer somersaults, but still
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| | air, the longer it will float.
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| sickening to fly in!).
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| | Parachutes: Attach a piece of floss or
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| Now add a horizontal stabilizer
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| | thin string to the four corners of a
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| (elevator) tail, and when you throw it,
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| | tissue. Attach a stick, a small wad of
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| add a slight curve so the plane
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| | stones wrapped in another tissue, a
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| "fishtails" in the air (like a car)...
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| | pinecone, etc. to the centers of the
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| but did you notice that there are no more
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| | string. Practice dropping these from the
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| somersaults?
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| | balcony and see which falls slowest with
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| Add the vertical tail (rudder) and see
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| | which load.
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| how it now steers straight no matter how
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| | Ring Thing: Cut an index card into thirds
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| to curve-throw it.
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| | lengthwise. Loop one strip into a circle
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| Sneaky Tip: if you remove the metal clip
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| | and tape ends together. Place two
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| on the nose beforehand, you can add it
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| | remaining strips together end-to-end and
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| last to really see what it's for...
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| | tape, then loop into large circle and
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| notice where most of the weight is
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| | tape in place. Place a piece of tape
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| without the clip?
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| | across one end of a straw and gently
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| Let's make more things that demonstrate
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| | secure one ring to the tape. Repeat on
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| these flying ideas!
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| | the other end with remaining ring. Make
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| Helicopters: Cut out a paper rectangle 5
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| | sure the two rings are concentric (you
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| by 2 inches. Cut lengthwise down the
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| | can see through both like a telescope).
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| strip, stopping about an inch before the
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| | Throw it small-end-first!
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| end. Tape this uncut inch to the end tip
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| | Free Form Machines: Make an obstacle
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| of a popsicle stick. Fold the "bunny-ear"
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| | course with some or all the following
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| flaps down in opposite directions. Throw
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| | different challenges:
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| off a balcony and watch it whirl and
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| | -Hit a target balloon (arm the machines
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| gyrate! (Optional: You can notch the end
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| | with opened paper clips)
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| of the popsicle stick to make a
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| | -Go over and under a suspended length of
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| sling-shot helicopter. Make a quick
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| | string
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| slingshot launcher by looping a rubber
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| | -Make it through a hula hoop suspended
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| band to another popsicle stick end.)
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| | vertically or horizontally
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| Butterfly Cups: Tape two Dixie paper cups
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| | -Carry a jelly bean passenger safely
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| together, bottom-to-bottom. Chain
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| | across shark-infested waters (two tables
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| together six rubber bands. Loop one end
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| | spread apart)
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| of the rubber band chain over your thumb
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| | -Dangle large paper airplanes (made from
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| and hold your arm out horizontally
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| | 11x17" paper, or two 8.5x11" papers taped
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| straight, palm up. Drape the remainder of
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| | together to make an 11x17") from the
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| the chain along your arm. Place the taped
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| | ceiling for a 'dogfight' to earn points
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| butterfly cups at the free end (near your
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| | if you tag one
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| shoulder) and slowly wind the rubber
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| | -Shoot through the basketball hoop, and
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| bands around the middle section of the
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| | dive into a basket.
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