Flight, Motion, and the Design Process

Grade 735 min

Learning Objective

I can describe the relationship between the four forces of flight, Newton's Laws of Motion, and airplane movement, and apply the design process to solve a problem related to flight.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

6 min

How do airplanes actually fly? - Raymond Adkins

TED-Ed

Practice

11 min

7 questions β€’ Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

β€œDescribe how Newton's Third Law of Motion applies to the generation of lift by an airplane wing. Explain how the four forces of flight (lift, weight, thrust, and drag) interact when an airplane is accelerating during takeoff. Imagine you are using the design process to improve the fuel efficiency of a model airplane. Describe how you would "build and test" your solution, and what you would look for during testing to determine if your design is successful.”

Teacher Guide

Get the complete package:

  • Answer keys for all questions
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Extension activities
  • Printable student handouts