The best shaped parachute - Years 7 & 8

Students investigate the best shape for a parachute that is slowing down an object.

What to do

In your groups, research, discuss and record the answers to the following questions:

Research

Brainstorm as many different flying objects or machines that use parachutes.
Find out why parachutes are used?
How do the different shapes of parachutes serve the purpose they are used for?

Investigation

In your groups, you will design an experiment that will test the effectiveness of different shaped parachutes for a particular purpose.

Decide what purpose your parachute will be used for.
From your research, what shape of parachute is traditionally used for this purpose?
Use this shape in your investigation and then choose other shapes you want to compare this shape to. You will need to make sure all the shapes have the same area so your investigation is a fair test. (Find out the formula to calculate the area of these different shapes.)
Design and test the effectiveness of each parachute. Things to think about in your groups:

- How will you know whether a parachute is more effective than another?

- How can you make a fair comparison between each parachute?

- What materials will you use?

- Where do you need to tie the strings onto the shape so that the parachute is balanced?

- Will you be dropping an object from a height? If so, what height will you need to drop the parachute from? How will you know if this is high enough?

- If you are not dropping an object but slowing an object down with a parachute, how will you make sure the object you are slowing down is travelling at the same initial speed for each test?

- What other variables must be kept the same between each parachute to ensure a fair comparison?

Communicate your findings to the class by representing your results using a PowerPoint, video or poster. Add photos and/or videos that you took from your Beyond Perception exhibition visit. Do your results give you any understanding about why different parachute shapes are used for different purposes? If so, add this information to your presentation. If not, how can you find out? Who can you contact that could know the answer? Refer to your research for some clues.

Extension – include in your presentation:

Redesign the experiment to compare different materials the parachute is made of.
What energy transformations are happening when the parachute is dropped from a height?
What are the forces acting on the parachute?

Advice to teachers

This activity is suitable for Year 7 and 8 students. It incorporates the curriculum areas: Physical Sciences, Science as a Human Endeavour, Science Inquiry Skills, Personal and Social Capability, Design and Technologies and Critical and Creative Thinking. Some students may need more guidance to design their experiments than others.

Curriculum links

Science Inquiry skills
Physical science
Earth and space science
Creative and Critical Thinking, and
Personal and Social