Glider (aircraft)

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

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/glider-aircraft

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 aerodynamic efficiency metric?Modern high-performance gliders can achieve Lift-to-Drag (L/D) ratios exceeding 60:1
2. What is the construction materials?Primarily advanced composite materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass, and Kevlar
3. What is a glider?A glider is a plane that flies without an engine, using wind and warm air to stay in the sky.
4. How do gliders stay up in the air?Gliders use rising warm air called thermals, wind against hills called ridge lift, or mountain waves to climb and glide.

Airfoil: The cross-sectional shape of a wing or blade designed to produce lift when moving through a fluid.
Aspect Ratio: The ratio of a wing's span to its chord, with high aspect ratios generally indicating long, narrow wings.
Sink Rate: The rate at which a glider loses altitude in still air, a key indicator of its aerodynamic efficiency.