Name: ___________________

Date: ____________________
Air and Aerodynamics Unit Test
Multiple Choice

Mrs. Smith set up the given apparatus for her science class.

1. Mrs. Smith asked the class to predict what would happen to the weight of the volleyball
as it is pumped up. Kathy correctly predicted that the weight will
A. Increase as the air pressure inside the ball increases
B. Increase as the air pressure inside the ball decreases
C. Decrease as the air pressure inside the ball increases
D. Decrease as the air pressure inside the ball decreases

Sam saw the given flask in the science lab. She knows that air can move into or out of the flask.

2. The fact that air can move freely into or out of the flask shows that air is
A. A fluid
B. A liquid
C. Very dense
D. Not compressible

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3. The effects of drag, thrust, lift, and gravity must all be considered in the design of an airplane.
In order for an airplane to fly, the relationship of these four forces must be such that

A. Drag must overcome thrust, and gravity must overcome lift.

B. Thrust must overcome drag, and gravity must overcome lift.
C. Thrust must overcome drag, and lift must overcome gravity.
D. Drag must overcome thrust, and lift must overcome gravity.

4. Which of the following most accurately represents the mass of oxygen in the sealed jar
before, during, and after the candle burns?

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 To learn more about the properties of air, Tom
performs the following experiment.

5. The glass will not fill with water because

A. Water is heavier than air.
B. Air is lighter than water.
C. Air takes up space.
D. Gravity pulls down on the water.

6. Which of the following cycling positions would be the most efficient for reducing drag forces?

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 7. Approximately 80% of air on earth is made up of _____________________.
A. Oxygen
B. Nitrogen
C. Carbon Dioxide
D. Helium

8. Which of the following examples most clearly demonstrates the compression of air?
A. Flying a kite
B. Inflating a tire
C. Blowing out a candle
D. Using a vacuum cleaner

9. Will is climbing a high mountain. Near the summit of 3000 meters, he finds himself having a
hard time breathing and feeling nauseous. This situation, called altitude sickness is caused by:
A. Higher atmospheric pressure.
B. An increase in UV rays.
C. The ozone layer being poisonous.
D. Lower atmospheric pressure.

10. Parachutes cause objects to fall to the ground more slowly because they
A. Increase drag
B. Decrease lift
C. Increase gravity
D. Decrease propulsion

Short Answer

11. Give 2 examples of adaptations that birds have for flight. (2 marks)

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12. Propulsion, in the context of flight, refers to the mechanism or force used to generate thrust and move
something forward. Explain how flying animals achieve propulsion and how aircrafts achieve propulsion.
(2 marks)

13. Describe using Bernoulli’s Principle how heavy objects, such as planes, are able to fly. Make sure to
include the following words: high pressure, low pressure, and lift.
You can also use the space below to draw a picture, but this is not required. (4 marks)

Multiple Choice: /10

Short Answer: /8

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Total: /18