grannyinthesky 0 #1 January 12, 2008 I am working on a project that will combine an intermediate level algebra class with a physics concepts class (minimal math content). I am looking for ideas for activities or projects based on skydiving that we can use for both areas. Any ideas out there?"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPAWNmaster 0 #2 January 12, 2008 transitional slide would be a good topic. as would terminal velocity and the kinetics of deployement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Floats18 0 #3 January 13, 2008 You could build 'badmitten' (spelling?) birdies of different size/ weight combinations and measure the amount of time it takes for them to hit the ground from a given height. Increased drag/weight combinations could be interesting (I'm sure you could manage to build a heavy one that falls slower than a lighter one). Having students build rigs to safely drop an egg from a given height w/o breaking it is always a good time but messy!--- and give them wings so they may fly free forever DiverDriver in Training Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #4 January 13, 2008 Great ideas. I'm also looking for ideas that we can use on a field trip we are doing during the quarter. It's a combination field trip for physics, geoplogy and astronomy. We'll be out for most of a week camping at various locations in eastern Oregon. I'm tring to find a reason to do a skydive or two at a dropzone near where we will be part of the time. I'm thinking of students possible observing a landing or two and estimating height versus time. I could then have them graph the data and do some modeling and see if their model fits the actual landing time. Hopefully by this summer I will have managed to get my license, a rig and land with some dignity once in a while."safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JerryBaumchen 1,047 #5 January 13, 2008 Hi Granny, There are no dzs in eastern Oregon but there is one in central Oregon: Central Oregon SkySports (or something like that) located on the airport in Madras, Oregon. It is ran by Bob Daughs; and mention my name when you get there. He is old friend of well over 30 yrs; and a helluva nice guy. JerryBaumchen Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #6 January 13, 2008 That's the one I was thinking of. Working in Ontario in eastern Oregon, we tend to divide the state by where I-5 runs and don't particularly think about central. We will be spending a few days in the Bend area before heading to Crater Lake. Hmmmm, I wonder if I can get Administration to reimburse me for the jumping costs.....it would be part of the trip!!"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skr 1 #7 January 18, 2008 > Hmmmm, I wonder if I can get Administration to reimburse me > for the jumping costs..... :-) :-) Just in case anybody was wondering whether grannyinthesky is a **Real Skydiver**(TM). > I am looking for ideas for activities or projects based on skydiving > that we can use for both areas. How about calculating how far people drift in freefall for various layers of upper winds. Pilots can get the upper wind reports at 3,000 ft intervals, so you can calculate how far people would drift in each interval and add them up. Also for your own education as a jumper John Kallend, who posts on here, wrote a program that graphs freefall trajectories for various uppers and various fall rates. His model is more accurate than the simple 3,000 ft interval approximation above, and it's worth trying some combinations and mulling what that tells you when you're standing in the door about to jump out, like, for one thing, how do you know how far up wind to go before you go? Skr Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denete 2 #8 January 18, 2008 The first two might be more like an advanced level, but you know your kids best. "Human Cannonball": For a given trajectory and initial speed, calculate the altitude at which a "human cannonball" has the lowest airspeed. Then, calculate that airspeed. "Two Trains from Denver": Two "dummies" of equal size but different weight are dropped at the same time from a balloon at a given altitude (10K?) on a no-wind day. They maintain equal body orientation during freefall. After how many seconds will the first reach 2,500' and at what airspeed? How many seconds later will the second one reach 2,500' and at what airspeed? This one is a little more basic. "Mr. Bill": Calculate the wing-loading for one jumper under a canopy in pounds per square feet. Add another jumper to the first and calculate the wing-loading for two jumpers suspended below one canopy. Extension: Convert results to Kilograms per square meter. And a good middle of the road problem (basic vector calculations). "Mister Crabby": Holding a fixed orientation and airspeed under canopy, plot the ground-path for a given fixed windspeed and direction. Calculate the groundspeed. Have fun. - David SCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #9 January 18, 2008 Quote Also for your own education as a jumper John Kallend, who posts on here, wrote a program that graphs freefall trajectories for various uppers and various fall rates. His model is more accurate than the simple 3,000 ft interval approximation above, and it's worth trying some combinations and mulling what that tells you when you're standing in the door about to jump out, like, for one thing, how do you know how far up wind to go before you go? Thanks for the idea, for me and for the class. I have started incorporating word problems of the "with the wind-against the wind" type setting. I used to avoid those problems because they didn't mean much to me. Boy, has my viewpoint about them changed. "safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #10 January 18, 2008 Nice ideas. I will be working with a physics instructor so between the two of us, I bet we can get some of these to work. And if not in that class, I teach all levels through calculus.....I'm sure they will find a home. Thanks,"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peek 20 #11 January 18, 2008 QuoteI am working on a project that will combine an intermediate level algebra class with a physics concepts class (minimal math content). I am looking for ideas for activities or projects based on skydiving that we can use for both areas. Any ideas out there? Definitely, we created this for students who ask. Although it is a bit elementary, it satisfies the requirement for not much math. http://www.pcprg.com/student.htm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grannyinthesky 0 #12 January 18, 2008 This looks great. The students we will generally be working often have the goal of being elementary/middle school teachers, so elementary is good. Thanks, Pat"safety first... and What the hell..... safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy POPS #10490 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #13 January 18, 2008 Gary, We used your Round Parachute calculation for students to drop their favorite action figures, both for accuracy and speed. it was a fun experiment that kept the kids busy for 3 days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denete 2 #14 October 18, 2008 I just recently found some good sites for basic math/physics explanations/demonstrations/problems that deal with skydiving. http://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspDetail&ResourceID=25 http://electron9.phys.utk.edu/phys135d/modules/m5/Friction.htm http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/Phys/mmedia/newtlaws/sd.html http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/Phys/Class/newtlaws/u2l3e.htmlSCR #14809 "our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe" (look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #15 October 18, 2008 Kallend's website with the freefall simulation as well as other good info can be found HERE"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
