Science unit on Flight

Week 1 - Introduction to flight.
-- The history of flight.
----Montgolfier Brothers (density of hot air as compared to cold air)
----Wright Brothers (their significance in the world of aviation)
----Giant air ships and the Hindenburg disaster (hydrogen gas and its properties)
Activity -
-- Appropriate video can be shown of giant airships or the Hindenburg.
-- Building hot air balloons.
-- Research the advances in flight during World War I and II. (from the biplane to the V2)

Practical -
-- Density

-- Build a density toy

- buoyancy

-- cartesian diver

-- activity
Worksheets / Home Work-
--History of flight.
--The Science Behind the History of Flight
The introduction and practicals (if the teacher wishes to conduct them) can be done over two lessons. One lesson spent on the introduction and the next on the practical

Concepts to be learned -
-- The relationship between the force of buoyancy and hot air balloons.
-- Density and its impact on buoyancy
-- Scientific advances and progress over the ages that have resulted in improved flight.

Week 2 - Bernoullis law
-- A brief explanation of Bernoulli's Law and its significance to the modern day aeroplane wing.
Activity -
---- Balancing ball in an air stream.
---- Spray gun
---- Suction effect of an air stream
Practical -
--Project activities.
Worksheets / Home Work -
--Project activities.

Concepts to be learned -
-- Bernoulli's Law its relationship to the modern day wing and its application to every day life.

Week 3 - Newton's 3rd Law of Motion and the forces of flight
-- .Introducion to Newton's 3rd Law of Motion.
-- Discussion on the four forces of flight.

Activity -
-- Demonstration of Newton's Law using a model propeller plane
Practical -
-- Construction of propeller planes

Worksheets / Home Work -
-- Newtons Third Law
-- Forces of Flight
-- Forces During Rocket Flight

Concepts to be learned -
-- Newtons 3rd Law of Motion
---- its definition and application to flight.
---- Gravity is ever present on Earth.
---- Drag has many forms and increases with the speed of a vehicle.
---- The four forces of flight how they are created (maximised or minimised) in the different forms of flight.

Week 4 - Introduction to the Energy of flight
- Definition of energy as" The ability to do work".
- The Law of Conservation of Energy
- Brief explanation on four forms of energy relevant to us
---- Gravitational potential energy
---- Kinetic energy
---- Heat energy
---- Chemical potential energy.
Activity / Demonstration -
-- Exploding Hydrogen Can
-- Hydrogen as a fuel
Practical -

Worksheets / Home Work -
-- Energy of Flight
-- Energy in a rocket
-- Energy from chemical reactions
-- Hydrogen as a fuel

Concepts to be learned -
-- Definition of energy
-- Conservation of energy
-- Energy can be transformed
-- Energy is released during some chemical reactions

Weeks 5-8