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Tetrahedron kites. By Alexander Tunnell. overview. The point of this project is to show us the basics of flight by making a tetrahedron kite. Even the slightest misstep could mess up its flight. We are using 45in and 25in strings to construct the kite. We are using 5 of each and straws. .
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Tetrahedron kites By Alexander Tunnell
overview • The point of this project is to show us the basics of flight by making a tetrahedron kite. Even the slightest misstep could mess up its flight. We are using 45in and 25in strings to construct the kite. We are using 5 of each and straws.
What I like to learn • I’d like to learn about the different kites and what they do. • Id also like to learn where the kites get there name from. • Lastly id like to learn about which of the kites work the best.
The basics of flight • Thrust • Lift • Gravity • Drag • Apparent weight • Physical effects of G force
The different types of kites • The sled – This kite gets its name from the shape which resembles a sled. • The diamond – The basic shape of a kite • The barn door – This kite gets its name from its large shape. • The Rokaku – This smallest type of kites. • The Sode – Its gets its name from the resemblance to a Japanese outfit. • The Delta – The most common of all types of kites.
The difference between a airplane and a kite • Well, a glider has pretty much the forces of lift, drag, and gravity acting on it (similar to the airplane, but with no thrust). It moves forward so many feet per foot lost in elevation, called a glide ratio. The glider will be designed to achieve the best glide ratio at a certain airspeed (speed of air moving past the glider). Just remember that a glider has no thrust to push it through the air. So, in calm wind, the glider will not gain or lose air speed on a consistent glide path. If the glider encounters a headwind while on this same glide path, the speed of the glider over the ground will decrease, but it’s airspeed will increase, and then slowly decrease until it achieves that same glide ratio. • A kite, however, has a string attached to it. This string acts like a form of thrust. A kite needs a form of thrust to get it in the air (that’s why you need to run with it at the beginning, unless it’s a really windy day). Once you get it in the air, the string that keeps it tethered to the ground keeps airborne. Its airspeed is equal to the wind speed. If the string were to break, it would blow away with the wind, its airspeed would drop, and it wouldn’t stay airborne. The string is what keeps the kite fighting into the wind, keeping its airspeed up. So, even though the kite isn’t moving forward, it still has airspeed, until the string breaks. • In an airplane, it needs to use thrust to achieve a certain airspeed to take off. BUT…If a small plane is sitting on the ground with its nose pointed into the wind blowing at 60 knots, the plane could take off without any use of power, but like a kite without a string, it would just come back down • Information provided by http://mrpoluk.edublogs.org/2011/11/25/what-is-the-difference-between-a-kite-and-an-airplane/
Conclusion • The kite flew averagely even in low wind • The only setback was it was not sturdy enough to run fast with. • To rebuild another one it would take another 3 days.