Iceboat

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/iceboat

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 vehicle classification?Wind-powered craft utilizing metal runners for locomotion on ice
2. What is an iceboat and how does it move on ice?An iceboat is a wind‑powered craft that runs on sharp metal runners on frozen water. The very low friction lets the sail push it very fast, sometimes over 60 mph.
3. Why do iceboats have sharp metal runners instead of wheels?The sharp runners cut into the ice, giving less friction than sliding or wheels, so the boat can go faster.

Coefficient of Friction: A measure of the resistance to motion between two surfaces in contact; very low for steel runners on ice.
Airfoil: A shape, like a sail or airplane wing, designed to generate lift and thrust when air flows over it.
Hydrodynamic Drag: The resistance force experienced by an object moving through a fluid like water.