Paragliding

High school (ages 12+)
Sports & Games

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/paragliding

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 primary lift sources?Thermals (rising warm air) and ridge lift (wind deflected by terrain)
2. What is the competitive disciplines?Includes cross-country racing, aerobatics, and accuracy events
3. How does a paraglider wing stay shaped?The wing stays its curved shape because air rushes into its cells when you launch. The air inside keeps the cells firm, giving the wing a semi‑rigid profile that lifts you.
4. What helps a paraglider stay up in the air?The wing uses the Bernoulli principle: faster air over the top makes lower pressure, lifting you. Pilots also look for warm air columns called thermals or wind that rises over hills, called ridge lift.

Airfoil: The cross-sectional shape of a wing designed to generate lift when air flows over it.
Bernoulli's Principle: A physics law stating that faster-moving fluids (like air) exert lower pressure.
Ram-air wing: A wing constructed from cells that inflate with airflow to maintain its aerodynamic shape.
Harness: The pilot's seating and suspension system, connecting them to the paraglider wing.