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ERIC Number: EJ722359
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Mar
Pages: 5
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0887-2376
EISSN: N/A
Ever Fly a Tetrahedron?
King, Kenneth
Science Scope, v27 n6 p25-29 Mar 2004
Few things capture the spirit of spring like flying a kite. Watching a kite dance and sail across a cloud spotted sky is not only a visually appealing experience it also provides a foundation for studies in science and mathematics. Put simply, a kite is an airfoil surface that flies when the forces of lift and thrust are greater than the forces of drag and gravity. In between flying and crashing to the ground are a variety of swoops, wiggles, pitches, yaws, and rolls that show the kite seeking a balance among the set of conflicting forces. The student activity in this article explains how to build a tetrahedron kite. The kites can then be used as the basis of a student-designed inquiry. Using tetrahedron cells to construct a kite offers numerous advantages. In principle, a kite constructed of tetrahedrons can be built to any size, simply by using combinations of tetrahedral cells. The cells are rigid, and do not require extra bracing to maintain their shape. (Contains 5 color enhanced figures and a list of additional resources.)
National Science Teachers Association, 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782 (Toll Free); Web site: http://www.nsta.org.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A