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Gliding on Air: The Creation of a Hovercraft

Gliding on Air: The Creation of a Hovercraft. Megan Hodge Independent Study Fall Semester. Project Objective “Applied Science”. Hands on Independent Study Study a hovercraft and how it works Design a prototype Build a full-sized hovercraft. Project Timeline. Project Timeline (Cont.).

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Gliding on Air: The Creation of a Hovercraft

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  1. Gliding on Air:The Creation of a Hovercraft Megan Hodge Independent Study Fall Semester

  2. Project Objective“Applied Science” • Hands on Independent Study • Study a hovercraft and how it works • Design a prototype • Build a full-sized hovercraft

  3. Project Timeline

  4. Project Timeline (Cont.)

  5. What is a hovercraft? • A vehicle that can ride on air and travel over various surfaces • Requires air pressure to build up underneath to lift it off the ground • Used in the military, local and world wide competitions, and some are used for daily transportation

  6. How does it work? • Fan/Air Source inflates skirt enough so that the air pressure inside can lift the hovercraft off the ground • Bag skirt contains holes to allow air to escape and push out from underneath to help with the lift and ensure that the skirt won’t burst

  7. NORPORGreat Advice from Mr. Porter (Boeing Retiree) Needs: Accomplish project for Independent Study Objective: Create a functioning hovercraft Resources: Designs online, Dr. Dann Planning: Choose design, gather materials Operations: Build Reviews: Does it work? Redirection: What needs to be fixed/improved?

  8. Prototype Materials: Computer Fan Paper Plate Low Voltage Power Supply Wires

  9. Prototype Challenges • Computer wiring not long enough • Weight to lift ratio • Skirt design http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpI1BDt92lY&feature=player_embedded

  10. Large Scale Hovercraft • Design Selection Process (Bag Skirt vs. Wall Skirt)

  11. Materials and Equipment • Electric Leaf Blower • 6ft Plastic Sheeting • 4 ft. 3/8" Plywood • Duct Tape • Plastic Lid • Bolt 2in 1/4-20 • Nut 1/4-20 • Fender Washers • Staple Gun • Jigsaw • Pencil and String

  12. Costs • Leaf Blower- $15 CraigsList • Plastic Sheeting- $29.99 Ace • Plywood- $12.10 Home Depot • Nuts and Bolts- $4 Home Depot Total: about $61 (everything else I had at home (jigsaw, duct tape, plastic lid) or borrowed (staple gun from my grandpa)

  13. Building • Measure and trace circular base (diameter of 4 ft.) • Cutting the base • Drill center hole for bolt • Cut hole for blower

  14. Building (Cont.) • Measure, cut, and staple on plastic sheeting • Cut holes in plastic

  15. Results Test #1 Modifications Test #2 Test Run

  16. Modifications

  17. What I Learned • Setting up and executing the planning process • How to find various resources (additional help, online sources) • Application of physical concepts to make hovercraft work • What an engineer does from start to finish • How to work with tools and design

  18. Thanks to… Ken Porter- BlueBills Mr. Klingler- Independent Study Advisor Dr. Dann- Teacher at Menlo School Dad and Mom- “Sponsors” Grandpa- Staple Gun

  19. Hovercraft Terminology • skirting- keeps the air underneath the vehicle (surrounding the air cushion) to ensure that the air stays in (variations in the skirting can change the hovercraft's ability to move over various surfaces) • lift air- the air that is pushed into the level underneath the vehicle that causes it to lift off the ground once enough force has built up • thrust- moves the hovercraft forward often created by a fan that pushes air in the back of the hovercraft • lift- the amount of weight that a hovercraft can lift off the ground is equal to the cushion pressure x the area of the hovercraft • fluid- takes the shape of the container surrounding it (air inside the bottom of the hovercraft) • buoyant- when the force the pressurized air exerts on the surface equals the weight of the hovercraft • static pressure- what lifts the hovercraft off the ground

  20. Hovercraft Resources DiscoverHover Styrofoam PrototypeStudent Hovercraft BlogBalloon PrototypeBasics Behind a HovercraftThe Making and Unmaking of the American Hovercraft | Popular ScienceUnder Pressure: Launch a Balloon Rocket: Scientific AmericanNASA - Thrust, Lesson 5AIM Manufacturing Videos and virtual factory toursLift Theories - WorksheetLift Theories - ActivityThe Lift EquationFactors that Affect LiftObjects with LiftGeneral Thrust EquationDynamic PressureWhat is Lift?Lift TheoriesNew Hovercrafts - Popular MechanicsDiscoverHover: Hovercraft FAQDragonflyTV . Episodes . Technology and Invention . Hovercraft | PBS KIDS GO!:: DiscoverHover :: Hovercraft Links :::: DiscoverHover :: :: DiscoverHover :: Curriculum Guides ::LABS DiscoverHover Curriculum Guide #4 - Pressure and Lift- ExperimentLAB DiscoverHover Curriculum Guide #1 - What is a Hovercraft and how does it work? - ExperimentNeoteric Hovercraft, Inc.Lift System Calculator for HovercraftAP-Physics-B-Project - Aerodynamics of Hovercraft - Horowitz & Lopez

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