FRISBEE PHYSICS

1. FRISBEE PHYSICS How does a Frisbee fly?

2. AIRFOIL • An airfoil is a designed surface that will fly when there is air flow above and below it. • Think of a Frisbee as an airplane. • How does an airplane fly???

3. How does an airplane fly? • For an airplane to fly you must have the following • Thrust • Lift • Weight • Drag

4. THRUST • Moves an object by pushing or pulling • Airplanes use propellers • In our case your arm acts as a propeller to create thrust.

5. LIFT • Holds a plane or Frisbee in the air • Created by Frisbee splitting the air • At this point the force under the Frisbee cause the object to fly

6. WEIGHT • All objects have weight • Created by mass and gravity • Without weight objects would just float • Frisbees could be thrown and never land in this case • Weight is the counterpart to lift, which is pulling the Frisbee into the air

7. DRAG • Drag is the counterpart to thrust • While thrust is propelling the Frisbee, drag is constantly trying to slow the Frisbee down • If you have ever been in a moving car with your hand out the window you would be able to feel drag • This resistance is felt by the Frisbee every time you throw it

8. Increasing and Decreasing DragLess drag = longer distance Increase Decrease Adding spin The more spin a Frisbee has the less wobbling it will do to decrease drag THROW FRISBEE ON A LINEAR PLANE Keeping a Frisbee flat and linear will decrease drag and increase the possible distance • Throw Frisbee harder • The faster the throw the more drag it will experience • Throw Frisbee at an angle • The greater the angle the more drag, try to throw linear

9. KEYS TO A GOOD THROW • FLAT • Best way to keep a Frisbee flat is by adding spin • SPIN • Make sure you flick your wrist to create spin • LINEAR • Keep the Frisbee on a straight line. Best way to do this is by pointing at your target on the follow through