Sparking Curiosity. Creating Leaders.
Parachute Design
Test your engineering skills by designing parachutes that float safely to the ground! Experiment with different shapes, sizes, and materials to see how each change affects how your parachute falls — and discover the science behind air resistance and stability in a fun, hands-on way.
Introduction
Parachutes slow objects as they fall, using air resistance to create a safe landing. This hands-on project allows you to explore how different canopy shapes, sizes, and materials affect descent speed and stability. By experimenting, you’ll see how small design changes can make a big difference in flight performance — just like real aerospace engineers and scientists do.
Intructions:
Materials Needed
-
Tissue paper, plastic bag, or lightweight fabric
-
String or thread
-
Small weight (coin, washer, or mini figurine)
-
Scissors
-
Tape
Drag (Air Resistance)
-
To make the canopy for the parachute, cut a 30 cm by 30 cm square (12 by 12 inches) out of the tissue paper (or plastic bag), reinforce the corners with tape and punch a hole in each corner.
-
Create suspension lines by cutting four strings from the twine, each 30 cm (12 inches) long.
-
To assemble your parachute, attach one end of each suspension line to each corner of the tissue paper, fold the canopy in four so its corners lay on top of each other, and knot the unattached ends of the four suspension lines together.
-
Drop the parachute from a high place and observe how it falls. Note the time it takes to reach the ground and the stability of the path.
-
Play around with different shapes, areas, and length of string of the parachutes. If you're ready, attach a cup to the parachute and drop an egg in there; see if you can keep it from cracking!
When a parachute falls, the air pushes back against it, creating a force called drag. This drag slows the descent of the parachute and its attached weight, allowing it to float gently to the ground instead of plummeting. By experimenting with different canopy sizes, shapes, and materials, you can see how increased surface area catches more air, increases drag, and reduces falling speed. This concept is critical in aerospace engineering, from designing spacecraft landing systems to improving the safety of skydivers and emergency supplies.
