Bamboo-copter

High school (ages 12+)
Making & Design

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/bamboo-copter

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific principle demonstrated?Rotational lift and Newton's third law of motion
2. What is the historical context?Jin dynasty China, circa 320 AD
3. How does a bamboo-copter fly?When you spin the shaft fast, the angled blades push air down. This creates lift, which makes the toy rise up.
4. When was the bamboo-copter invented?It was invented around 320 AD in China during the Jin dynasty.

Rotational Lift: The upward force generated by spinning blades that enables flight.
Angle of Attack: The angle between the chord line of an airfoil and the direction of the oncoming air.
Aeronautical Engineering: The branch of engineering concerned with the design, development, and operation of aircraft.