End+of+Semester+Projects

=End of Semester Projects=

Parachute Lab
Developed for AP Physics students, the parachute lab is a challenging empirical and theoretical look at a varying force model used to describe air resistance for a falling parachute. Students start by building a parachute. Then they video tape the falling parachute and use video analysis tools in Logger Pro to analyze their parachute’s terminal velocity. From there, students theoretically determine the drag coefficient and build a Euler engine to model the parachute’s decent. Finally students test the validity of their model by comparing theoretical (Euler engine values) to experimental tests of the time it takes the parachute to fall from different heights.

The lab is especially powerful for determining when a simple model is adequate vs. when more powerful models are needed. Additionally the lab covers air resistance and terminal velocity thoroughly.