Name _________________________________________ hr.

____ _____/150

PARACHUTE LAB 1.0/1.5

Problem: The aim of this project is to build and test parachutes of different designs to compare the
effects that area has on deceleration due to friction. Students will use a control and an experimental
parachute of .66²m, to drop action figures from a height of 10 meters. Students will measure the
amount of time that it takes control parachutes to hit the ground when dropped from these heights, and
graph these results. Upon completion of these trials, group members will build their own parachute of
.66M² and test it using the same criteria to compare data with the control parachute.

Will your group be able to design a parachute that will allow an action figure to fall at a slower rate than
the control chute (white / .66m²)?

Hypothesis: (20 points)

My hypothesis is that that our chute will fall at a faster/slower rate than the control parachute. I believe
this because __________________________________________________________________________
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I will test this by _______________________________________________________________________

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Materials: (10 POINTS)

 .66² control parachute (ALL MASSES IN KG)

 1 inch wide painters tape
 Large Action figures  Your chute material/size (in m²)
 Thin garbage bags or Heavy Garbage bags Ex. (4,356 cm²=.4356 m²)
 Plastic Shopping bags (Kroger) 4298cm²=.4298m²
 Decorative Paper (the stuff on the rolls in the hallway)  Your chute mass ____ kg
 Bed sheets  Mass of big action figure ____kg
 String of 3 different sizes
 Mass total with action figure _____kg
 Elastic
 Wire
Procedure:

1. Each student draws a rough sketch of the model parachute (1.0) they think they will present to
the group to build in part II (1.5) of the lab. Students will be able to choose from various media
for the chute, string and adhesive. Upon completion, each member must speak to his/her
group, explaining their design, and why theirs should be used for this lab.
2. Group members vote on which design to use.
3. The group begins construction of the 1.5 chute (the new design).
4. A picture of the chute must be taken, and mass must be recorded in kilograms.
5. Test group designed chute 1.5 (.66M²) by adding a large action figure to the harness with tape
and dropping from 10 meters. During each trial, group members will measure the time it takes
for the module to hit the ground. This data, along with height and mass will help complete the
data table below. Repeat tests with this chute 6X.
6. Test control chute (.66M²) by adding the same large action figure to the harness with tape and
dropping from 10 meters. During each trial, group members will measure the time it takes for
the module to hit the ground. This data, along with height and mass will help complete the data
table below. Repeat tests with this chute 6X.
7. Complete the data section for those tests.
8. After testing, group will meet and compile a list of things that worked, and determine what they
would do to make a better module. Students must complete required graphs and conclusion to
have a chance for full credit.
9. Teach lesson on relationships between height and time, velocity and time, and acceleration and
time. With the graphical representation, as what aspects of the representation show the
parachute opening? The parachute being released? The chute speeding up, the chute falling at
constant speed? What would happen to these graphs if the chute opened sooner? Later?
10. Discuss the critical factors and variables that affect the time that it takes for your chute to reach
the ground.
 Part III. Graphs ___/20 (10 points each)
Graph: PE vs. KE
Theoretical Free Fall Velocity vs. Average Velocity

Data collection (30 points)

Trial Time Average T Free Fall Potential Kinetic Acceleration Force (MA)
(S) Velocity Velocity Energy (J) Energy (m/s²)
(m/s) (m/s) (j)
Student Chute MGH
1 14
2 14
3 14
4 14
5 14
6 14
AVERAGE 14

Control CHUTE
1 14
2 14
3 14
4 14
5 14
6 14
AVERAGE 14
Mass of control .66m² parachute ______37____g = _____________kg

Mass of experimental .66m² parachute __________g = _____________kg

Parachute pictures: (30)

10 pts. Diagram of Parachute 1.0 (your initial design)

10 pts. Diagram of Parachute 1.5

10 pts. Photo of parachute 1.5 with action figure attached

Data from other groups: (average velocities from 10M with their .66m² chute)

MAKE SURE YOU LIST WHAT ACTION FIGURE THE OTHER GROUP USED. ____/10

Group _______ velocity (large figure) ____________

Group _______ velocity (large figure) ____________

Group _______ velocity (large figure) ____________

Group _______ velocity (large figure) ____________

Group _______ velocity (large figure) ____________

PART V. Conclusion: (30 points)

In conclusion my hypothesis was correct/incorrect. The data showed ____________________________

This means that compared to the control chute .66m² ours was worse
_________________________because _____________________________________________________
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To improve our parachute we could _______________________________________________________

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Compared to the rest of the class ____________USE DATA TO COMPARE!

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