Topic Forces in Flight: Centrifugal force.
Objective The student will be able to measure centrifugal force. Students will be able to calculate centrifugal from given information.
Rational If the pilot moves his control to change the flight path of the airplane centrifugal force begins to act. Centrifugal force plays an important part in every day activities. For example when riding a bicycle one must lean towards the center to get around a corner. Centrifugal force makes it necessary for a car to turn a corner at high speeds without turning over.
Centrifugal force can be studied by experimenting with a string and a ball.
Demonstration
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a) have a student whirl a ball attached to an elastic string around in a circle.
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b) change the weight of the ball, and the speed at which the ball is whirled.
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c) change the length of the elastic band and whirl at the same speed.
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d) have students observe the stretch of the elastic band when the speed, weight of ball and length of elastic band changes.
Conclusions The magnitude of centrifugal force depends on the speed at which the object is moving and the size of the circle it inscribes.
To determine centrifugal force use;
c.f = m.v/f
Example of problem An airplane weighing 3,000 lbs is making a turn with radius of 500 ft at a speed of 150 ft per second.
Materials:
a) elastic
b) balls of different weights.
