Utilising the idea of ‘classroom physics’ from the June 2023 edition of the Institute of Physics magazine, which focused on the topics of balance and stability, our Y10 triple science students engaged in a STEM activity (Balanced flight), where they learned how to make gliders using items such as paper, glue or cardboard. Once completed, students took their gliders out for a test run in the lovely sunny weather of Monday 20th of May.
Below are two images of some of our students’ work. In the first image, no white-tac was used, and when launched into the air, the glider did not have a stable flight. In the second image, white-tac was added to the nose of the plane, which caused the centre of mass to move forward, and as a result, the plane had a more stable and balanced flight.
Engaging in this activity, students learned about real-world application of centre of mass and torque and why they are important in the design of planes.
At ACS we embed STEM into our timetabled lessons to make for a more engaging, effective and inclusive classroom. (Dr Mahmoud)
