J0804

Aerodynamics: A Study of the Aerodynamic Properties of Various Shapes and Surfaces

Student
Jennifer A. Bruno
Los Angeles
School
St. Paul The Apostle
Grade 8
Los Angeles County
Advisor
Mrs. Debra Fought

Summary Statement
This project verifies Bernoulli's Principle using varying airfoils, wind speeds, and drag.
Abstract
Objective: My goal is to prove Bernoulli's principle (ratio of top to bottom surface are is directly proportional to lift). As an extension of Bernoulli's principle, I will also investigate drag, and intend to prove that the more streamline a vehicle is, the less drag it produces. Materials: For lift, my materials include 4 airfoils-ranging from a rectangle, to extremely curved-a vacuum (industrial) set on the blower mode w/ varying speeds of 30, 50, and 100 mph, and a jig to hold the airfoils. I measured how much weight it would take to pull the airfoil back to its original position. For drag, the materials and procedure were basically the same, except I used model trucks with varying degrees of streamlining.

Results: In the lift experiment, Bernoulli's principle was proved. In the drag experiment, I proved my hypothesis to be true, and also came out with a new design for a truck that would reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency.

Conclusion: Bernoulli's principle proved to be true and is used today in the aircraft manufacturing industry to create more efficient planes. My hypothesis that the more streamline a vehicle was, the less drag it would produce also proved true. This idea is used in many cars and trucks today, not only for fuel efficiency, but for cost savings.

Help Received
Dad helped with computer graphics.

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